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In this hymn, Henry Alford helps Christians to give thanks to God not only for the earthly harvests He gives in their seasons, but especially for the heavenly harvest that we long for on the Last Day. Even as we join together to thank God for the harvest of crops, we come into His presence to thank Him for bringing us into His Church through the preaching of His Word. We pray that He would make the Word fruitful in our lives now so that when He returns with His angels, we will be found in faith and gathered into His eternal storehouse. In that confidence, we pray, “Even so, Lord, come quickly!” 

Rev. Jared Nies, pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and School in Lapeer, MI, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study LSB 892, “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come.” 

To learn more about St. Paul’s in Lapeer, visit www.stpaul-lapeer.org.

“Songs and Thankfulness and Praise” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that studies a variety of hymns of thanksgiving from Lutheran Service Book. Thanksgiving is a way of life for Christians as we realize that all gifts come from God’s fatherly love for us. In times of joy and sorrow, we return our thanks to Him for His never-ending goodness and mercy.  

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund. Together in faith, LCEF helps to start, sustain and strengthen LCMS ministries through financial and strategic partnerships. Visit lcef.org.

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

1 Come, ye thankful people, come;

Raise the song of harvest home.

All be 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 offences 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 garner to abide:

Come with all Thine angels, come,

Raise the glorious harvest home.