November 22, 2005

Have faith in God –
His cross thy theme allow;
Have faith in God –
The thorns upon His brow;
Have faith in God –
Become a Christian now!
Have faith, dear friend, in God.

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

Henry Alford, 1810-1871

The first stanza of this harvest hymn is an invitation and an exhortation to give thanks to God in His earthly temple--by the gathering together of Christians in our local church body--for the heavenly care and provision of our earthly need. The following two stanzas are an interesting commentary on the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares as recorded in Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43. The final stanza is a prayer for the Lord's return--the final harvest home!

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 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.

For the Lord our God shall come, and shall take His harvest home;
From His field shall in that day all offenses purge away,
Giving angels charge at last in the fire the tares to cast;
But the fruitful ears to store in His garner evermore.

Even so, Lord, quickly come, bring Thy final harvest home;
Gather Thou Thy people in, free from sorrow, free from sin,
There, forever purified, in Thy garner to abide;
Come, with all Thine angels come, raise the glorious harvest home.

Have Faith in God by H.M.S. Richards, Used by Permission