Hymn Story: There Is A Fountain

(Sam Stack) This hymn was written by William Cowper. He was born in 1731 in England. His father was a minister. Cowper had a difficult childhood, his mother died in childbirth when he was only 6.

Sent to a boarding school, he was bullied because of his nervous demeanor. His father wanted him to become a lawyer, but while preparing for the bar exam, his anxiety took over and he ran away and attempted suicide.

He was committed to an asylum run by a devout Christian Doctor. As he began the healing process, he found faith and began writing poetry.

Several years after his release from the asylum, he joined John Newton (author of Amazing Grace) in Olney, England, where Newton was pastor of the parish church. In 1799, Newton and Cowper produced the Olney Hymnal one of the most significant Hymnbooks of the early Evangelical movement in England. This hymnal contained 349 hymns, sixty seven of them were written by Cowper.

There is a Fountain is based on Zechariah 13:1

“In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness."

There Is A Fountain

Verse 1
There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel'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

Verse 2
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

Verse 3
Dear dying Lamb Thy precious blood
Shall never lose its pow'r
Till all the ransomed Church of God
Be saved to sin no more
Be saved to sin no more
Be saved to sin no more
Till all the ransomed Church of God
Be saved to sin no more

Verse 4
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
And shall be till I die
And shall be till I die
Redeeming love has been my theme
And shall be till I die

Verse 5
When this poor lisping stamm'ring 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