The Celebration Hymnal

797

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

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 to abide.  
Come, with all Thine angels come;  
Raise the glorious harvest home.

WORDS: Henry Alford
MUSIC: George J. Elvey
Theme: Special Times and Seasons: Thanksgiving