Story Behind The Hymn, “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come”

One of the finest of harvest hymns is that written by Dean Alford, Come, ye thankful people, come.

When Alford was sixteen years old, he wrote these noble words upon the fly-leaf of his Bible: I do this day, in the presence of God and my own soul, renew my covenant with God, and solemnly determine henceforth to become His, and to do His work as far as in me lies.

This harvest hymn first appeared in 1844, with the title, After Harvest. It was originally accompanied by the text, He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. (Psalm 126:6)

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come Hymn Lyrics

(1) 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.

(2) All the world is 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;
Lord of harvest, grant that we
Wholesome grain and pure may be.

(3) For the Lord our God shall come
And shall take His harvest home;
From His 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 His garner evermore.

(4) Even so, Lord, quickly come
To Thy final harvest home;
Gather Thou Thy people in,
Free from sorrow, free from sin:
There forever purified,
In Thy presence o abide;
Come, with all Thine angels, come,
Raise the glorious harvest home.

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