Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Tunes

In the United States, the hymn is usually set to an American folk tune known as "Nettleton", which first appears in Wyeth's Repository of Sacred Music, Part Second (1813), possibly collected by Elkanah Kelsey Dare, who was the musical editor (John Wyeth himself was a printer). The tune appears on page 112 in F major for two voices (tenor and bass), with a revival chorus (Hallelujah, Hallelujah, we are on our journey home); the facing page has another musical setting ("Concert") in A minor without any chorus. Asahel Nettleton also published music, so some attribute his namesake tune directly to him. In the United Kingdom, the hymn is also often set to the tune "Normandy" by C Bost. The "Nettleton" tune is used extensively in partial or full quotation by the American composer Charles Ives, in such works as the First String Quartet and the piano quintet and song "The Innate". The "Nettleton" tune is also quoted at the end of "My Trundle Bed" by Tullius C. O'Kane.

In the shape note tradition, most tunebooks have one or more tunes other than "Nettleton" that use Robinson's lyrics, in part, or in whole, often adding a camp meeting-style revival chorus between each verse. Because most singers have the lyrics memorized, it can be sung at remarkably fast tempos without stumbling over the words. For example, the tune "Warrenton," which first appeared in the 1838 edition of William Walker's Southern Harmony, is sung in 44 time or 22 cut time; to fit the text to this melody, the second half of each verse is omitted and replaced with a chorus of "I am bound for the kingdom, will you come to glory with me? / Hallelujah, praise the Lord!"

Text

The lyrics, which dwell on the theme of divine grace, are based on 1 Samuel 7:12, in which the prophet Samuel raises a stone as a monument, saying, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us" (KJV). Samuel names the stone Ebenezer, meaning Stone of Help. The unusual word Ebenezer commonly appears in hymnal presentations of the lyrics (verse 2).

Various revised versions appear in hymnals, often changing phrases or replacing the reference to Ebenezer.

The version in Nazarene hymnals and those of the Holiness movement replaces "wandering" with "yielded," and "prone to wander" with "let me know Thee in Thy fullness".

Many choirs, including the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, sing it in an arrangement by Mack Wilberg. It splits verse 2 into two parts and the last half of verse 3 is appended to each part to form two verses.

A version titled "O Thou Fount of Every Blessing" and attributed to Robert Robinson is found in several shape-note hymnals of the American South. The melody is attributed to A. Nettleton, while several phrases are changed.

Recordings

Mosquito Fleet- arrangement, instrumentation and vocals by Mosquito Fleet- Swings & Cloves EP in 2001.

Catholic artist Audrey Assad recorded a version of this hymn on her "Good to Me" EP in 2013.

Nancy Bryan sings a version of this hymn on her album Neon Angel from 2000.

Christian artist Fernando Ortega recorded a version on his album Hymns & Meditations in 1994

It has been covered by the David Crowder Band on their 1999 album All I Can Say.

Christian rock band Jars of Clay and veteran Christian artist Scott Wesley Brown have also covered the song.

Scottish group Celtic Worship recorded a version incorporating traditional Scottish instruments, on their album Morningtide.

Sufjan Stevens recorded a version for his Hark! Songs for Christmas album, which reached 122 in the US charts and is featured in the closing minutes of the season four premiere episode of Friday Night Lights.

Gateway Worship performed the song on their album Living for You and added a chorus to the song, calling it "Come Thou Fount, Come Thou King".

The hymn appears on Phil Wickham's album 'Sing-A-Long'.

This song is also sung by Clark Davis in the film Love Comes Softly and is a recurring background music in the film.

Mumford & Sons have covered it in a small number of their live shows.