COME YE SINNERS, POOR AND NEEDY
THE HYMN STORY
Why are some of the best hymns written by such terrible people? At least in their own eyes, that is . . .
There is a widespread popular notion that hymns are produced by religious people who stay secluded from the world while writing lofty notions about God. In reality, many of the most beloved hymns have been written by people who have traveled some of the most wretched paths of life. Such was the case with the former slave-trader, John Newton, who wrote ‘Amazing Grace’, William Cowper, battling mental illness but writing ‘God Moves in a Mysterious Way’, and the self-admitted wayward, reckless and carousing Robert Robinson who eventually gave us ‘Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing’.
It was a similar story with the Englishman, Joseph Hart, born in 1712 and raised in the Christian faith, but departing from it as a young adult. Having been well-educated in the classics and languages he became an esteemed teacher. From his own account of his life, however, he became a “loose backslider, an audacious apostate and a bold-faced rebel.” He had even written a tract attacking John Wesley and the ‘unreasonableness of religion’.
At some point Hart began feeling regretful of the course his life had taken and started moving toward religious self-effort. He had not yet understood salvation by grace so he attempted a personal moral and religious reform which led him into deeper confusion and eventually, libertinism.
There are reports that as Hart struggled through these times he came under the influence of both George Whitfield and the Moravians, who were the people that had awakened John Wesley to a soul-changing faith. He was brought to a point of personal salvation and went on to become a well-known preacher for the last few years of his life. Recanting the years of his waywardness, he publicly apologized to Wesley for the tract he had written, and wrote a number of powerful hymns.
There is little doubt that when Joseph Hart wrote the words to ‘Come Ye Sinners’, that he had himself and his life experience in mind. It is interesting that his opening line, ‘Come ye sinners, poor and wretched’ was blunt enough that modern hymnals have toned it down a bit.
The tune used here is BEACH SPRING, but several tunes have been used with this hymn over the last 200 years. Wording has been adapted and an anonymous refrain added (‘I will arise and go to Jesus’) to some versions, so that this hymn in different settings can truly seem like different hymns. This tune was written by Benjamin Franklin White who came from the American south. It first appeared in his famous collection, The Sacred Harp, of 1844, and was named after the Beech Spring Baptist Church of Harris County, Georgia. A spelling error in the original publication led to the name being ‘Beach Spring’ rather than its intended ‘Beech Spring’.
THE HYMN LYRICS
While substantially the original hymn, there have been various adaptations over the years. The following lines constitute at least some of the verses.
Come, ye sinners, poor and needy,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore!
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity, love and power.
He is able, He is able, He is able,
He is willing, doubt no more!
Let not conscience let you linger,
Nor of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness he requireth
Is to feel your need of him.
This he gives you, This he gives you, This he gives you:
'Tis the Spirit's glimmering beam.
Come, ye thirsty, come and welcome;
God’s free bounty glorify:
True belief, and true repentance,
Every grace that brings us nigh--
Without money
Come to Jesus Christ and buy.
Come ye weary, heavy laden,
Bruised and mangled by the fall;
If you tarry till you're better,
You will never come at all.
Not the righteous, Not the righteous, Not the righteous;
Sinners Jesus came to call.
Agonizing in the garden,
Lo! your Maker prostrate lies!
On the bloody tree behold Him:
Hear Him cry, before He dies:
“It is finished!” “It is finished!” “It is finished!”
Sinner, will this not suffice?
Lo! The incarnate God ascending,
Pleads the merit of His blood;
Venture on Him, venture freely;
Let no other trust intrude.
None but Jesus, None but Jesus, None but Jesus
Can do helpless sinners good.
SOURCES:
https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-come-ye-sinners-poor-and-needy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Hart
https://sermonwriter.com/hymn-stories/come-ye-sinners-poor-needy/
https://hymnary.org/text/come_ye_sinners_poor_and_needy_weak_and
https://askherabouthymn.com/what-hymn-about-gods-all-encompassing-love-was-written-by-a-repentant-london-bad-boy/
https://www.hymnologyarchive.com/come-ye-sinners-poor-and-wretched
https://hymnary.org/person/White_BF
https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/articles/history-of-hymns-lord-whose-love-through-humble-service
HOME
Why are some of the best hymns written by such terrible people? At least in their own eyes, that is . . .
There is a widespread popular notion that hymns are produced by religious people who stay secluded from the world while writing lofty notions about God. In reality, many of the most beloved hymns have been written by people who have traveled some of the most wretched paths of life. Such was the case with the former slave-trader, John Newton, who wrote ‘Amazing Grace’, William Cowper, battling mental illness but writing ‘God Moves in a Mysterious Way’, and the self-admitted wayward, reckless and carousing Robert Robinson who eventually gave us ‘Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing’.
It was a similar story with the Englishman, Joseph Hart, born in 1712 and raised in the Christian faith, but departing from it as a young adult. Having been well-educated in the classics and languages he became an esteemed teacher. From his own account of his life, however, he became a “loose backslider, an audacious apostate and a bold-faced rebel.” He had even written a tract attacking John Wesley and the ‘unreasonableness of religion’.
At some point Hart began feeling regretful of the course his life had taken and started moving toward religious self-effort. He had not yet understood salvation by grace so he attempted a personal moral and religious reform which led him into deeper confusion and eventually, libertinism.
There are reports that as Hart struggled through these times he came under the influence of both George Whitfield and the Moravians, who were the people that had awakened John Wesley to a soul-changing faith. He was brought to a point of personal salvation and went on to become a well-known preacher for the last few years of his life. Recanting the years of his waywardness, he publicly apologized to Wesley for the tract he had written, and wrote a number of powerful hymns.
There is little doubt that when Joseph Hart wrote the words to ‘Come Ye Sinners’, that he had himself and his life experience in mind. It is interesting that his opening line, ‘Come ye sinners, poor and wretched’ was blunt enough that modern hymnals have toned it down a bit.
The tune used here is BEACH SPRING, but several tunes have been used with this hymn over the last 200 years. Wording has been adapted and an anonymous refrain added (‘I will arise and go to Jesus’) to some versions, so that this hymn in different settings can truly seem like different hymns. This tune was written by Benjamin Franklin White who came from the American south. It first appeared in his famous collection, The Sacred Harp, of 1844, and was named after the Beech Spring Baptist Church of Harris County, Georgia. A spelling error in the original publication led to the name being ‘Beach Spring’ rather than its intended ‘Beech Spring’.
THE HYMN LYRICS
While substantially the original hymn, there have been various adaptations over the years. The following lines constitute at least some of the verses.
Come, ye sinners, poor and needy,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore!
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity, love and power.
He is able, He is able, He is able,
He is willing, doubt no more!
Let not conscience let you linger,
Nor of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness he requireth
Is to feel your need of him.
This he gives you, This he gives you, This he gives you:
'Tis the Spirit's glimmering beam.
Come, ye thirsty, come and welcome;
God’s free bounty glorify:
True belief, and true repentance,
Every grace that brings us nigh--
Without money
Come to Jesus Christ and buy.
Come ye weary, heavy laden,
Bruised and mangled by the fall;
If you tarry till you're better,
You will never come at all.
Not the righteous, Not the righteous, Not the righteous;
Sinners Jesus came to call.
Agonizing in the garden,
Lo! your Maker prostrate lies!
On the bloody tree behold Him:
Hear Him cry, before He dies:
“It is finished!” “It is finished!” “It is finished!”
Sinner, will this not suffice?
Lo! The incarnate God ascending,
Pleads the merit of His blood;
Venture on Him, venture freely;
Let no other trust intrude.
None but Jesus, None but Jesus, None but Jesus
Can do helpless sinners good.
SOURCES:
https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-come-ye-sinners-poor-and-needy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Hart
https://sermonwriter.com/hymn-stories/come-ye-sinners-poor-needy/
https://hymnary.org/text/come_ye_sinners_poor_and_needy_weak_and
https://askherabouthymn.com/what-hymn-about-gods-all-encompassing-love-was-written-by-a-repentant-london-bad-boy/
https://www.hymnologyarchive.com/come-ye-sinners-poor-and-wretched
https://hymnary.org/person/White_BF
https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/articles/history-of-hymns-lord-whose-love-through-humble-service
HOME