Is Come, Ye Thankful People, Come a Funeral Hymn?
“Come, Ye Thankful People, Come” is traditionally recognized as a harvest hymn, celebrating gratitude for the fruits of the earth. While not explicitly a funeral hymn, its themes of thanksgiving, reflection, and hope for the future make it a fitting and uplifting choice for memorial services.
Why is Come, Ye Thankful People, Come a Suitable Funeral Hymn?
- Gratitude in Remembrance: The hymn encourages an attitude of thankfulness, making it a suitable choice for a funeral where remembrance and gratitude for the life of the departed take center stage. It invites mourners to reflect on the blessings shared with the departed and express gratitude for the impact they had on their lives.
- Hope for the Future: While acknowledging the cycles of life and nature, “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come” holds a message of hope for the future. In the context of a funeral service, this hope extends beyond the present sorrow to anticipate a future where joy and blessings will be restored, bringing comfort to those in grief.
- Reflective Melody and Uplifting Tone: The melody of the hymn is reflective and uplifting, creating an atmosphere of contemplation and serenity. Its harmonious composition allows mourners to engage in introspection and find solace in the hymn’s optimistic message, emphasizing the cyclical nature of life and the promise of a bountiful harvest to come.
- Versatile Themes: “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come” touches on themes of gratitude, harvest, and spiritual reflection. This versatility allows it to be adapted to different occasions, making it suitable for a funeral service where the focus is on remembering and giving thanks for a life well-lived.
Come, Ye Thankful People, Come Lyrics
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 as praise to God we yield;
wheat and tares together sown
are to 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 the harvest home;
from the field shall in that day
all offenses purge away,
giving angels charge at last
in the fire the tares to cast;
but the fruitful ears to store
in the garner evermore.
4 Even so, Lord, quickly come,
bring 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.