#557 Come, Ye Thankful People

Words by: Henry Alford,  1844 (1810-1871)

Music by: George J. Elvey, 1858, (1816-1893)

 

 

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!

 

 

We ourselves are God's own field,

Fruit unto His praise to yield;

Wheat and tares together sown,

Unto joy or sorrow grown;

First the blade and then the ear,

Then the full corn shall appear;

Grant, O harvest Lord, that we

Wholesome grain and pure may be.

 

 

For the Lord our God shall come,

And shall take His harvest home;

From His field shall purge away

All that doth offend, that day;

Give His angels charge at last

In the fire the tares to cast;

But the fruitful ears to store

In His garner evermore.

 

 

Then, thou church triumphant, come,

Raise the song of harvest home;

All are 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!