Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

The writer of this hymn made it difficult to miss his confession of spiritual weakness. Robert Robinson (1735-1790) knew all too well the difficulty of faithfully walking with Christ and was quick to give the credit to the Lord alone for the times he remained "fixed in the name." As a young man, Robinson was converted to Christ by the passionate preaching of George Whitefield. Despite entering the ministry, however, Robinson eventually lapsed into sin and questionable doctrinal positions. Some contemporaries believe that he later regretted this separation from Christ and longed to return to the former closeness he had felt in his earlier days.

As you reflect on these lyrics, be reminded that it is Christ's work and not ours that draws us and keeps us near him. Thank God for his steadfast pursuit of us, though we are prone to wander away from him.

Come thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace;

Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.

Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above;

Praise his name--I'm fixed upon it--name of God's redeeming love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by thy help I've come;

And I hope by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God;

He, to rescue me from danger, bought me with his precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be!

Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee:

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love;

Here's my heart, O take and seal it; seal it for thy courts above.

(from the Praise and Worship Study Bible published by Tyndale House)