There Stands a Fountain Where for Sin
There stands a fountain where for sin
This hymn expresses classical Lutheran understanding of justification through Christ's atoning sacrifice, emphasizing the efficacy of His blood for cleansing sin. The fountain image draws from Zechariah's messianic promise and illustrates how believers receive forgiveness through faith in Christ's redemptive work.
History & Background
Written by William Cowper in 1772 and published in the Olney Hymns (1779) compiled with John Newton. The hymn became widely adopted in Lutheran hymnals beginning in the 19th century.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 720
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 111
- Lutheran Service Book — 647
- Lutheran Worship — 506
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 157
- With One Voice — 726
Bulletin Note
Written by William Cowper in 1772, this hymn draws from Zechariah 13:1 and anchors Lutheran soteriology in Christ's sacrificial blood—the inexhaustible source of forgiveness for all who believe.
Preaching Connection
This hymn transforms the abstract promise of justification into the concrete image of a fountain, making the believer's access to Christ's atoning sacrifice viscerally real and available to all who thirst.
Catechism & Confessional Connections
- The Second Article (Concerning Redemption) Small Catechism — The Apostles' Creed
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Law (conviction of sin and Christ's sacrifice) to Gospel (amazement at grace, personal response of self-surrender)
Themes
Atonement Forgiveness of sins Cleansing blood of Christ Redemption