Scripture Verse

A fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity. Zechariah 13:1

Introduction

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Eden R. Latta (1839–1915)

Words: Ed­en R. Lat­ta, in The Ri­ver of Life, ed­it­ed by Hen­ry Per­kins & Will­iam W. Bent­ley (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Ol­iv­er Dit­son, 1873), pag­es 18–19.

Music: Hen­ry S. Per­kins (🔊 pdf nwc).

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Henry S. Perkins (1833–1914)

Lyrics

Blessèd be the foun­tain of blood,
To a world of sin­ners re­vealed;
Blessèd be the dear Son of God;
Only by His stripes we are healed.
Tho’ I’ve wan­dered far from His fold,
Bringing to my heart pain and woe,
Wash me in the blood of the Lamb,
And I shall be whit­er than snow.

Refrain

Whiter than the snow,
Whiter than the snow,
Wash me in the blood of the Lamb,
And I shall be whit­er than snow.

Thorny was the crown that He wore,
And the cross His bo­dy o’er­came;
Grievous were the sor­rows He bore,
But He suf­fered thus not in vain.
May I to that foun­tain be led,
Made to cleanse my sins here be­low;
Wash me in the blood that He shed,
And I shall be whit­er than snow.

Refrain

Father, I have wan­dered from Thee,
Often has my heart gone as­tray;
Crimson do my sins seem to me—
Water can­not wash them away.
Jesus, to the foun­tain of Thine,
Leaning on Thy pro­mise, I go;
Cleanse me by Thy wash­ing di­vine,
And I shall be whit­er than snow.

Refrain