COME THOU FOUNT

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1757

“Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” — A Brief History


Origin of the Text (1757)

The hymn “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” was written in 1757 by Robert Robinson (1735–1790), an English pastor and poet. Robinson was only 22 years old when he wrote it.


Robinson’s life story strongly shaped the hymn. As a teenager, he was known for reckless behavior and skepticism toward religion. After hearing a sermon by the Methodist preacher George Whitefield in 1755, Robinson experienced a profound spiritual conversion. The hymn reflects both his gratitude for God’s grace and his awareness of human tendency to wander from faith.


Biblical Imagery

The hymn is rich in Scripture-based language:


“Fount” refers to God as the source of all blessings (Psalm 36:9).


“Streams of mercy, never ceasing” echoes the abundance of God’s grace.


“Here I raise mine Ebenezer” comes from 1 Samuel 7:12, where Samuel sets up a stone of remembrance (“Ebenezer” means stone of help) to mark God’s deliverance.


“Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it” reflects Robinson’s own spiritual struggles and the human inclination toward spiritual drifting.


The Tune: NETTLETON

The hymn is most commonly sung to the tune NETTLETON, an American folk melody first published in 1813 in Wyeth’s Repository of Sacred Music, compiled by John Wyeth. The pairing of Robinson’s text with this tune occurred decades after the hymn was written and helped popularize it widely in both Britain and the United States.


Later History and Influence

Although Robinson later distanced himself at times from organized evangelical Christianity, the hymn endured and became a staple of Protestant worship. According to tradition, near the end of his life Robinson was reminded of the hymn’s words during a conversation with a woman who admired it—an encounter that reportedly moved him deeply.


Over time, some hymnals altered or softened lines such as “prone to wander”, but many modern hymnals have restored the original wording to preserve Robinson’s honest theology.


Legacy

Today, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” remains one of the most beloved Christian hymns, valued for its:


Theological depth


Emotional honesty


Strong biblical imagery


Memorable melody


It continues to be sung across denominations and has inspired numerous modern arrangements and recordings.

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