Here I Raise My What?

The second verse of "Come, Thou Fount" contains a name that probably produces more fleeting moments of unrecognition than any other reference in songs widely in current use.  Yes, we've all been raising our Ebenezer for years, but I would venture to guess that on any given Sunday, the vast majority of congregants singing this song have a nothing more than brief image of their favorite movie version of Scrooge pop into their heads when the second verse comes along. If the congregation is singing out of an actual hymnal, it might have a footnote indicating that Ebenezer means "stone of help", so someone might be able to learn that piece of trivia in passing, but not much more.

In fact, the assumption that people will not connect with this allusion has sometimes led to Ebenezer being written out of the song altogether. Here, Christianity Today contributor Gary Parrett comments on the value of preserving  traditional hymn lyrics, including this one.

The story of Ebenezer begins in I Samuel 4.  When the prophet and judge Samuel was still a boy or young man serving in the temple of the LORD, the Israelites were at war with the Philistines. They had faced one serious defeat, and in an attempt to avert a second disaster, took it upon themselves to have the ark of the covenant brought to the battle. This unauthorized movement of the ark resulted in defeat, the death of the sone of the priest Eli, and the capture of the ark.

The ark of the covenant does not make for a good battle trophy. Instead of parading it in triumphs through the land, the Philistines ended up passing it from town to town in hopes of escaping the curses that seemed to befall those in custody of the ark. Eventually, they latched the ark to a cow wagon and sent it on its way. It came to rest in a place called Kiriath Jearim, where it remained for some 20 years. 

During the course of those decades, Israel had circled back to a state of repentance and longing for redemption.  The LORD showed mercy, and when the Philistines had come against the Hebrew camp, the LORD threw the enemy into confusion by dint of a thunder storm, and handed the victory to the Israelites.

This action apparently took place at pretty much the same location as the disastrous battle that resulted in the loss of the ark. How poignant then when Samuel memorialized the battle by raising a stone marker. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.” Where God had previously brought about there defeat, there now stood a marker commemorating His help.


So let this lyric encourage you to look for the Ebenezers of your own walk with God.  Think of times where you were defeated but now, as one who is more than conqueror through Him who loved us, stand in victory.  Commemorate and celebrate the places and times where thus far the LORD has helped you and remember those times the next time you sing about Ebenezer.