Come, Ye Thankful People

Come, Ye Thankful People

            This hymn was written by a minister named Henry Alford and first published in his Psalms and Hymns [1844].   It is often sung in churches during worship during the Thanksgiving season in the United States.  It begins with the words “Come, ye thankful people, come”.  The admonition that it gives is certainly appropriate for Sunday worship during the Thanksgiving season, but it should be sung often to express Christians’ thankfulness for God’s goodness. Fall is a time of harvest in many countries around the world.  Those of us who are so blessed should remember that God inhabits praise.  He is pleased when we bring Him the sacrifice of musical praise.  Below are the words of the hymn.  Try reading this hymn during your devotions today.

Come, ye thankful people, come,

raise the song of harvest home;

all is safely gathered in,

ere the winter storms begin.

God our Maker doth provide

for our wants to be supplied;

come to God's own temple, come,

raise the song of harvest home.

All the world is God's own field,

fruit as praise to God we yield;

wheat and tares together sown

are to joy or sorrow grown.

First the blade and then the ear,

then the full corn shall appear;

Lord of harvest, grant that we

wholesome grain and pure may be.

For the Lord our God shall come,

and shall take the harvest home;

from the field shall in that day

all offenses purge away,

give his angels charge at last

in the fire the tares to cast;

but the fruitful ears to store

in the garner evermore.

Then, thou Church triumphant, come,

raise the song of harvest-home,

all be safely gathered in,

free from sorrow, free from sin,

there, forever purified,

in God’s garner to abide;

come, ten thousand angels, come,

raise the glorious harvest home!