A hymn of redemption and dedication, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” was written in 1757 by English minister Robert Robinson (1735-1790) at the age of 22, just a few short years after renouncing his own sinful life and becoming a Methodist preacher. (He later became a Baptist.)
As noted on hymnary.org:
Using imagery of Christ as the giver of living water and the shepherd gathering his sheep back into the fold, this hymn reminds the worshipper of the ever bountiful grace of God. Like Robinson, we too are “prone to wander,” and are quick to seek redemption through our own power. But God continues to bring us back from our wandering, until, songs of praise on our lips, we dance forever before the mount of His redeeming love.
The hymn is most often sung to the American hymn tune, tune NETTLETON. in Companion to Baptist Hymnal (1976), William J. Reynolds notes:
NETTLETON first appeared as a two-part tune in John Wyeth’s Repository of Sacred Music, Part Second (1813, p. 112), where it was named HALLELUJAH. In the Index it is identified as a new tune, and no composer’s name is given. The tune has been attributed by some to Asahel Nettleton (1783-1844), a well-known evangelist of the early nineteenth century, who compiled Village Hymns (1825). However, this compilation contained no music, and there is no evidence that Nettleton wrote any tunes during his life . . . It is not known where the tune name first appeared or who was responsible for it.
In this arrangement containing three iterations of the tune, the flute first states the tune straightforwardly over organ accompaniment. In the second iteration, organ presents the melody while flute moves in and out with countermelody. After a key change, flute and organ alternately present phrases of the melody over an inventive harmonization.
Appropriate at any time in worship, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” is ideal as an instrumental solo during summer months when many choirs take a break from performance.