Lyrics
Blessed be the fountain of blood,
To a world of sinners revealed;
Blessed be the dear Son of God—
Only by His stripes we are healed.
Though 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.
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 that fountain of Thine,
Leaning on Thy promise, I go;
Cleanse me by Thy washing divine,
And I shall be whiter than snow.
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
The hymn frames cleansing as a gift made possible through Christ’s suffering. Its opening verse moves from the “fountain of blood” to the healing associated with Christ’s wounds, then answers wandering and sorrow with a prayer for purification. The refrain’s image of becoming “whiter than snow” expresses complete cleansing rather than superficial reform, keeping grace and repentance closely connected.
Later verses contemplate the crown of thorns, the cross, and the blood Christ shed. The final verse becomes a direct confession: sin appears crimson, human means cannot remove it, and the singer turns to Christ’s promise for cleansing. Isaiah 1:18 supplies the hymn’s vivid contrast between scarlet sin and snow-white restoration. First John 1:7 similarly connects the blood of Jesus with cleansing from sin, while Isaiah 53:5 underlies the reference to healing through His wounds. Across its verses, the hymn joins sorrow for sin with confidence in divine mercy, presenting forgiveness as something received through Christ rather than earned by effort.
Related Scripture
- Isaiah 1:18 Scarlet sins are pictured as becoming white as snow.
- 1 John 1:7 The blood of Jesus is described as cleansing from sin.
- Isaiah 53:5 The servant’s wounds are connected with healing.