Before we get to this week's hymn, I wanted to thank everyone for your comments on Paul's thoughts on the Holy Spirit and public worship. If you haven't taken the time, check out the comments from the last post (they're more thoughtful and more concise than the post itself), I hope we are challenged to see worship through music as a means to edify our brothers and sisters.
For this week, I decided to go with what I thought was a very well-known hymn, but have recently discovered that not everyone knows it. It's written by William Cowper, a British poet and songwriter. I recently read some of the background of his life and discovered that he suffered from severe depression at times. As someone who has "down" periods in life I was encouraged to see man who sought to worship the Lord faithfully despite himself. At any rate, here are the lyrics, followed by some thoughts.
There is fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains
Lose all their guilty stains
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.
Wash all my sins away
Wash all my sins away
And there may I, though vile as he
Wash all my sins away
Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood
Shall never lose its power’
Til all the ransomed church of God
Be saved to sin no more.
Be saved to sin no more
Be saved to sin no more
Til 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 ’til I die.
And shall be ’til I die
And shall be ’til I die
Redeeming love has been my theme
And shall be ’til I die
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue
Lies silent in the grave,
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save.
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save
Then in a nobler, sweeter song
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save
If you don't know this song, then the repetition of certain lines might look more annoying than anything else, but it sounds great when you sing it. There are a number of things to love about this song, let me highlight a few. One, I love the emphasis on the blood of Christ (a theme more popular in times past, it seems) and the extent of the rewards of His sacrifice ("lose all their guilty stains", "wash all my sins away", "be saved to sin no more").
Two, this is a song that is incredibly honest about the human condition (sometimes depression offers incredible clarity). There is little doubt about where humans stand in this song- they are sinful. But it points the finger internally as well; rather than simply saying "we are sinful" (which is obviously true) it forces us to look at ourselves and see our need for redemption. This is especially seen in the 2nd verse about the thief on the cross- "there may I, though vile as he..." If you sing this song and miss this truth, well, you've missed the point entirely.
Three, I love the little bit about the ransomed church, and the future aspect of salvation. We are still awaiting the day when our salvation is consummated and we will cease to sin. One of the most common phrases used in seminary was "already/not yet" when discussing salvation. We have already been saved, but we have not yet seen the full completion of that, and will not until Christ's return.
Four (I could go on, but I've decided that this is it for now), I love the language of the last verse. As far as I know, Cowper did not suffer from any speech impediments, so the idea of "this poor, lisping, stammering tongue" is probably metaphorical. Doesn't that describe us so well? We are incapable of offering perfect praises to our God, they come out in stutters. But someday, no matter how hard it is to see it now, that will not be the case. My pathetic whimpers will someday rush forth with the cries of the redeemed in a deafenig roar.
Let us not forget where the power of this song lies: in the atoning death of Jesus. If not for this, there would be no hope of salvation from sin and no hope of our stammering tongues being loosened for praise. Thankfully, there is a Fountain where we can have our sins washed away.
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4 comments:
I have never heard that song. Looks good, though. I used to have serious issues with some of the graphic imagery in some worship songs - in Beautiful Scandalous Night (don't know how old it is, but we used to sing it at Young Life leader meetings), there are lines about "something something crimson perpetual tide. Kneel down on the shore and be thirsty no more, go under and be purified." It was absolutely revolting for years, but the imagery eventually grew on me some, how we do drink His blood at communion and we do have to be completely washed in it because of our sin. It's gross to think about lapping up a river of blood like a dog and then going swimming in it, but not entirely unfounded.
Last year I was back in America for a family visit and looked up an old friend in Lexington, Ky. He pastors a large church there. We go way back to university days in the mid 70's. He was the first to let me preach in his church, then in Tennessee, after I was reconverted out of my second bout with drug addiction in 1995. (I'd been straight for a dozen years when I went from divorce to depression to drugs again). In his study his daughter, now in universtiy herself, said she remembered my favorite song we sang eleven years ago when I preached in that mountain church, There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood.
Thanks for the reminder, Danny.
Jan, thanks for your comment (and your other comment on the worship post), it's nice to know that posting this song is not in vain. I hope you pop in once in a while, God bless.
the Nov.8,2007 Iheard a lot of hymns growing up but this was not one of them. I heard it as an adult. On Oct 30 in Akumal, Mexico, this song woke me up going through my mind. I reflected upon the fact that to those who never met the Lord Jesus Christ would think what a weird kind of words. But the truth is that because of the truth of the cleansing power of the blood of the great high priest we are set free. Jesus gives me wings and has set me free.
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