Come Ye Thankful People, Come

Quite simply, the best Harvest hymn ever written, because it understands entirely that Harvest-tide is but a fore-taste of the final harvest and the victory of Christ. It affirms for us that the whole world’s history is geared around one man and his triumph over sin and death. This performance was sung during a Christmas celebration, the perfect moment to celebrate the arrival of the Lord of the Harvest and to recognise that the baby in the manger is the Lord of all Time who will judge sin and the world and divide the wheat from the tares on the final day.

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.