This hymn is another addition given to us by William Cowper who struggled with poor mental health. When Rev. John Newton was curate of the market town of Olney, he invited Cowper and the family he was staying with, who recently suffered a tragedy, to move under his care. Newton’s pastoral influence was vital in encouraging Cowper to apply his talents toward writing hymns. He wrote most of his best hymns in this period before relapsing into a deep depression in 1773. “There is a fountain filled with blood” was included in the infamous collection “Olney Hymns” (1779), a collection of hymns written by Newton and Cowper¹.

There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains:
Lose all their guilty stains,
Lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day;
And there may I, though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away:
Wash all my sins away,
Wash all my sins away;
And there may I, though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood
Shall never lose its pow’r,
Till all the ransomed Church of God
Be saved, to sin no more:
Be saved, to sin no more,
Be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed Church of God
Be saved to sin no more.

E’er since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die:
And shall be till I die,
And shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die.

When this poor lisping, stamm’ring tongue
Lies silent in the grave,
Then in a nobler, sweeter song
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save:
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save,
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save;
Then in a nobler, sweeter song
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save.

¹hymnologyarchive.com/there-is-a-fountain