Hymn-ful Sundays! "There is a fountain filled with blood"

This week's hymn is by William Cowper, and is one of my favourites because it so poetically tells of the precious nature of the Covenant that was made between God and man when Jesus died for us.

About the writer: William Cowper was an English poet and hymnwriter in the 18th century. He was one of the most popular poets of his time, and was known for using ordinary, everyday things to inspire his poetry.

There is a fountain filled with blood 

 Drawn from Emmanuel's veins; 

 And sinners plunged beneath that flood 

 Lose all their guilty stains. 

The dying thief rejoiced to see 

 That fountain in his day; 

 And there may I, though vile as he, 

 Wash all my sins away. 

Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood 

 Shall never lose its power 

 Till all the ransomed church of God 

 Be saved, to sin no more. 

E'er since, by faith, I saw the stream 

 Thy flowing wounds supply, 

 Redeeming love has been my theme, 

 And shall be till I die.

Then in a nobler, sweeter song, 

 I'll sing thy power to save, 

 When this poor lisping, stammering tongue 

 Lies silent in the grave.

William Cowper

Aren't these words amazing? The imagery of a fountain of Jesus' blood, a fountain that purifies the sinner, of blood that is powerful, a fountain filled with the redeeming love of God...a fountain of grace.

My favourite verse is the fourth one: "E'er since, by faith, I saw the stream thy flowing wounds supply, redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die." It reminds me that I too, should make redeeming love my theme.

And the final verse is also great, "Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I'll sing thy power to save, when this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave." After writing all these beautiful words about the fountain and about Jesus, the hymnwriter tells us that the song his soul will sing in heaven is an even sweeter one.

Be blessed and shine filled and cleansed by the fountain!

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