Previous Hymns:
The Old Rugged Cross
All Things Bright and Beautiful
Come, Ye Thankful People, Come
This hymn was written by Henry Alford in 1844.
The entire hymn itself is one wonderful example of the foremost thing I love about hymns – the symbolism, and the richness of the tradition of faith behind them.
The song is broken into three parts, essentially, despite the fact that it is four verses.
The first verse is simply thanksgiving – gratitude for the bounty that will see people through the winter, quite literally in those days.
The second and third verses tie into parables that Jesus told, the relevant ones can be found in Matthew 13.
The final verse of the song looks forward to Christ’s return, when the Harvest of Believers is fulfilled.
