Hymn History: Come Thou Fount February 2, 2022

Hymn Historiescome thou fount

“For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”  1 Peter 2:25

We are thrilled to share a series of brief accounts of how some of the great hymns of our faith were written. Each synopsis has been compiled through the research of Jerry Vargo and is shared by permission. It is our hope that these stories will be a help and encouragement to your Christian walk. In this article we examine the amazing story of the hymn, “Come Thou Fount.”

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Born in 1735, seventeen year old Robert Robinson ran the streets of London in gangs, caring not for anything spiritual. He was just a small boy when his dad died. In 18th century England, there was little in the way of a social welfare system and this meant that he had to go to work while still very young. Without a father to guide and steady him, Robert fell in with bad companions.

One day his gang of rowdies harassed a drunken gypsy. Pouring liquor into her, they demanded she tell their fortunes for free. Pointing her finger at Robert she told him he would live to see his children and grandchildren. This struck a tender spot in his heart. “If I’m going to live to see my children and grandchildren,” he thought, “I’ll have to change my way of living. I can’t keep on like I’m going now.”

A few nights later, Robert Robinson, half serious and half in fun, decided to go to a tent meeting to hear the Methodist preacher George Whitefield. To cover his “weak” urge, he suggested that the boys go with him and heckle the gathering. “Let’s go laugh at the deluded Methodists” was his invitation to his gang. Whitefield preached on the text: “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Matthew 3:7. Robert left in dread, under a deep sense that George Whitefield was preaching to him alone.

Finally, at the age of twenty, Robert made peace with God and immediately set out to become a preacher himself. He wrote a letter to George Whitefield  and told him that he envied the happiness that he saw on the faces of those people in that tent. Two years later, in 1757, he wrote a hymn which expressed his joy in his new faith:

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 the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of God’s unchanging love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I’m 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,
Interposed His precious blood.

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;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

Years later Robert did wander away from God. In a spiritually backslidden condition, Robert was traveling in a stage coach one day. His only companion was a young woman unknown to him. In the providence of God, and not realizing who it was she spoke with, the woman quoted Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing, saying what an encouragement it had been to her. Try as he might, Robinson could not get her to change the subject. She asked him what he thought of the hymn she was humming. He responded, “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.” Gently, she replied, “Sir, the ‘streams of mercy’ are still flowing.” He was deeply touched by that. As a result of the encounter he repented. His fellowship with the Lord was restored through the ministry of his own hymn, and a Christian’s willing witness.

 

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8 Comments

  1. Sarah on February 2, 2022 at 2:27 PM

    This is one of my favorite hymns I usually have a conversation with God while singing about how grateful I am that he sought after me. And when I’ve sinned I’ve been convicted about wondering from the fold. I usually end up tearing up over God’s goodness to me. ♥️??

    • scottpauley on February 4, 2022 at 12:09 PM

      It is full of truth!

  2. Angela on February 5, 2022 at 9:07 AM

    I love how the Holy Spirit used Robinson’s own hymn to bring him back to the fold. This encourages me to know that the Holy Spirit never leaves us even when we tend to wander.

    • scottpauley on February 8, 2022 at 1:51 PM

      It is wonderful to consider how faithful God is to all of us!

    • Laura on May 28, 2023 at 4:57 PM

      Indeed we are those who have been sought. We had fallen from grace but in his goodness the Lord sought to bring us back to his fold but even with that, we are still those who are constantly seeking, constantly unsure, constantly doubting. We are prone to wander.
      May the Lord who sought us seal our hearts for his court above.

      A great hymn this is.

  3. bonface ombuya on March 4, 2023 at 9:06 AM

    It has come to be my favorite song since the experience Robert has we can use to inspire others

  4. Dave motter on May 26, 2023 at 1:38 PM

    I love hymn histories and of those who wrote them. It adds a dimension of life and purpose….especially seeing God work in hearts over time.

  5. Jim on June 11, 2023 at 3:01 PM

    Thanks, I share your sentiments. It’s been one of my favorite hymns since my teens…am approaching end of my 7th decade now. This was mentioned in the msg on Galatians I heard this morning

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