The Story Behind: Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
by Don Chapman
The raucous laughter of young Robert Robinson and his friends shattered the sanctity of a London Sunday. Their latest escapade? Plying a gypsy with drink and demanding free fortunes. As the inebriated fortune-teller’s gaze fell upon Robinson, her words cut through his bravado: “You’ll live to see your children and grandchildren.” The young troublemaker’s heart skipped a beat. Little did he know that this seemingly random encounter would set in motion a series of events leading to the creation of one of Christianity’s most beloved hymns.
A Rocky Start
The bustling streets of London proved a poor substitute for a father’s guidance. Robert soon fell in with a rowdy gang, their mischievous deeds a far cry from the hymns that would later flow from his pen. Yet the Lord works in mysterious ways, and He was already laying the groundwork for Robert’s transformation.
A Preacher’s Words, A Sinner’s Heart
The gypsy’s prophecy had planted a seed of unease in Robert’s mind. The vision of a future filled with family clashed sharply with his current path of debauchery. It was in this state of inner conflict that Robert and his gang decided to disrupt a tent meeting in 1752, their intention to mock the “deluded Methodists.”
The preacher that day was none other than George Whitefield, his powerful voice ringing out with the words of Matthew 3:7: “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”
Those words pierced Robert’s heart like an arrow. He later recalled, “Those words sunk into my heart like lead in the water. I wept… and for weeks, I could think of little else.” The Lord had begun His work in Robert’s life, though the full fruit of that labor wouldn’t be seen for some time.
A Heart Transformed
On December 10, 1755, Robert Robinson found what he described as “full and free forgiveness through the precious blood of Jesus Christ.” The transformation was profound. The once-rowdy youth now burned with a desire to know and serve God. He traveled across England, soaking in the words of the finest gospel preadchers of his day.
It was in this period of spiritual fervor, at the young age of 22, that Robert penned the words that would touch hearts for centuries to come:
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
The Wandering Heart
Yet Robert’s journey was far from over. True to the words of his own hymn, he found himself living out the very struggle he had written about:
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let that grace now like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love.
Robert’s spiritual path took many turns. He moved between denominations, serving as a Methodist preacher, then working with Independents, before settling for nearly thirty years as a Baptist pastor. His faith wavered, and he grappled with periods of instability and doubt. Towards the end of his life, he formed close friendships with Unitarians, leading some to question whether he had strayed from orthodox Christian beliefs.
In a twist that seems almost too perfect to be true, there’s a story – unverified, but powerful nonetheless – of an older Robert Robinson encountering his own hymn in a most unexpected place. Riding in a stagecoach, he overheard a young woman humming a familiar tune. When she asked his opinion of the hymn, his eyes filled with tears as he replied, “Madam, I am the poor unhappy man who wrote that hymn many years ago, and I would give a thousand worlds, if I had them, to enjoy the feelings I had then.”
A Lasting Legacy
Whether or not that stagecoach encounter truly happened, it encapsulates the enduring power of “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” The hymn speaks to the universal Christian experience of joy in salvation, coupled with the ongoing struggle against our sinful nature.
Robert Robinson’s life – from wayward youth to celebrated preacher, from devoted believer to doubtful wanderer – is a reminder of the very truths he penned. His words continue to resound in churches around the world, a reminder that no matter how far we stray, the Fount of every blessing calls us back.
As we sing Robinson’s timeless words today, we join countless believers across the centuries who have found in them a reflection of their own spiritual journey. In the end, Robert Robinson’s greatest legacy may be this: a hymn that continues to tune hearts to sing God’s grace, long after its author’s own wandering heart found its eternal rest.
A Tune to Match the Words
While Robinson’s lyrics stirred hearts, it was an American folk melody that truly brought them to life. In 1813, a humble printer named John Wyeth published “Repository of Sacred Music, Part Second,” a collection that would forever change the way we sing “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.”
The tune, christened NETTLETON, first appeared on page 112 of Wyeth’s book, written in F major for tenor and bass. Its origin remains shrouded in mystery – some attribute it to Elkanah Kelsey Dare, the musical editor, while others believe it was the work of Asahel Nettleton, the renowned evangelist whose name it bears.
Whatever its source, NETTLETON proved the perfect match for Robinson’s words. Its simple, memorable melody allowed the profound lyrics to shine, creating a hymn that resonated deeply with congregations across America. The pairing was so powerful that it caught the ear of great composers like Charles Ives, who wove snippets of NETTLETON into his own masterpieces.
Interestingly, our British brethren often pair Robinson’s words with a different tune altogether – NORMANDY by Chretien Bost. Yet it’s the marriage of NETTLETON and Robinson’s lyrics that has stood the test of time, continuing to draw worshippers into reflection on God’s abundant blessings and our own wandering hearts.
Words That Echo Through Time
As a hymn arranger, I’ve always been fascinated by how songs like “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” evolve over the centuries. It speaks volumes about the living, breathing nature of our worship that different denominations have tailored Robinson’s words to their own theological emphases. The Nazarene and Holiness movements, for instance, replace “wandering” with “yielded” and “prone to wander” with “let me know Thee in Thy fullness,” shifting the focus from human frailty to divine intimacy.
But there’s one word in this hymn that I believe deserves special attention: Ebenezer. No, not the Scrooge kind! This Ebenezer comes straight from 1 Samuel 7:12, where the prophet Samuel raises a stone monument, declaring, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.” He names this stone ‘Ebenezer,’ which translates to ‘Stone of Help.’
The context of this story is pretty dramatic. The Israelites, having just recommitted themselves to God, were under attack by the Philistines. Things looked bleak, but Samuel cried out to God for help. And did God ever answer! He sent a massive thunderstorm that threw the Philistines into such a panic that Israel won a decisive victory. Samuel’s Ebenezer stone marked this spot where God came through in a big way.
I love weaving these ancient, rich words into my arrangements. They connect us to the deep roots of our faith, reminding us that we’re part of a story much larger than ourselves. But I also recognize that terms like Ebenezer can be puzzling to modern congregations.
That’s why I often suggest to worship leaders: while the band plays the introduction, why not take a moment to unpack this powerful word? A brief explanation can transform a potentially confusing lyric into a profound moment of worship. Imagine the impact when your congregation sings “Here I raise my Ebenezer,” fully grasping that they’re declaring God’s faithful help in their lives, just as Samuel did thousands of years ago.
In our fast-paced world, these moments of connection with our spiritual heritage are important. They remind us that in raising our voices in praise, we join a chorus that echoes through the ages, acknowledging the unchanging nature of God’s grace.
“Come Thou Fount” Lyrics Video
Download sheet music, chord charts, tracks and multitracks for Come Thou Fount exclusively at Hymncharts.com and Worshiphymns.com. You won’t find this arrangement on any other websites.
