A Phrase of Praise: “Here I Raise My Ebenezer”

 My beloved high school,  Stratford Classical Christian Academy, hosts a special concert every year, celebrating American Hymns and Spirituals with a honorary expanded Chamber Choir. Below is a photo from a few years ago, when we sang together. I loved one song in particular, called “Restoration,” arranged by Sacred Harp.

In “Restoration,” the lyrics are probably most familiar to many as the words to “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” a hymn written in 1758 by a pastor named Robert Robinson. However, the tune of “Restoration” is different from the traditional melody of my favorite hymn. As the expanded Chamber Choir sang this song, it prompted me to remember and enjoy the meaning of the words: both in experience and in understanding. In experience, this song is a one of celebration, thankfulness, and joy, while this song in understanding is one of praise, thankfulness, and remembrance. The words of this song are so appropriate for what God has done at our small school; he has blessed us beyond measure and we praise Him for it as we continue in the work of the Lord. One particular phrase in this song especially creates a beautiful musical offering to God for those blessings; it has a specific beautiful truth behind it. Yet because the words are familiar to us, we may miss this phrase. It is found in the third verse:

“Here I raise my Ebenezer /hither by Thy help I am come.”

If you are like me, then you may have wondered at some point, “What biblical truth is this ‘Ebenezer’ referring to; it couldn’t possibly the typical ‘Ebenezer’ referral, the character from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, so what does it mean?” From familiarity with the words, I did not realize what a tremendous biblical truth the phrase including “Ebenezer” was referring to, until it was specifically pointed out.

At Stratford Classical Christian Academy, the Upper School begins each day with a chapel service. On this particular day, our teacher Mr. Henriquez opened the chapel with the song, “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” and then explained to us what the phrase including “Ebenezer” means. The term “Ebenezer” is referring to the passage in 1 Samuel 7, during the time when the Philistines were attacking the Israelite people, including Samuel the prophet. In summary, the Israelites, in fear for their lives, besieged Samuel to pray on their behalf and for deliverance in their upcoming battle with the Philistines. Thus Samuel offered a sacrifice and a prayer for protection to God. God heard Samuel’s prayer and answered him: he answered in their favor and caused the Israelites to triumph in the battle and the Philistines to retreat back home. To commemorate God’s power and deliverance upon their victory, the Bible says that “Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us” (1 Samuel 7:12 KJV). The Hebrew words “Eben hà-ezer (eh’-ben haw-e’-zer)” are translated into English as one word: “Ebenezer,” which simply means a “stone of help.”* From this we can see than an “Ebenezer” is a stone that serves as a monument or testimony to recognize and signify God’s help and blessing upon Samuel’s prayer. When Pastor Robinson wrote the lyrics of “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” he understood the truth behind the word “Ebenezer,” and followed in its truth with the phrase, “hither by thy help I am come” in the third verse. In Pastor Robinson’s poem, the words communicate that he acknowledged and praised God for His bountiful blessings and help throughout his life. In that chapel, our teacher Mr. Henriquez shared with us his own personal “Ebenezer”: his eldest son. He shared that every time he looks at his son, as a “miracle child” in many ways, Mr. Henriquez is reminded of God’s abounding and amazing blessings in his life. It was then appropriate that we sang this awesome hymn to close the chapel service, as Mr. Henriquez encouraged us to “sing with understanding.”

Following his precious testimony, I also took a moment to recognize the “ebenezer”  and to remember the works God has done in my own life, and it has created an awe and a spirit of thankful worship. I now sing “Come Thou Fount”  in joyful gratitude to God alone for the beautiful life of health, American freedom and hope in Christ I have, that may not have been mine in a different situation. It’s all thanks to God for my family, health, abilities, faith, education and blessings, including the friends and community I found here at Stratford. Perhaps the next time you hear “Come Thou Fount” you might reflect on your own “ebenezer,”  and pray in song. As you listen to the song of “Restoration,” remember that the “Ebenezer that we raise” is our recognition of and praise for God’s blessings upon our lives. God bless you!

*Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon (1995)