Ortega was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico near the banks of the Rio Grande. He started learning piano at eight years of age. Through his father's work with the United States Department of State, he also spent time in Ecuador and Barbados. It is from his heritage and classical training at The University of New Mexico where Ortega derives his sound, embracing country, classical, Celtic, Latin American, world, modern folk, and rustic hymnody. Fernando Ortega currently leads worship at Christ the King Anglican Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
His album Storm reached No. 197 on the Billboard 200 in 2002, and Christmas Songs reached No. 36 on the Billboard Christmas Album Chart in 2009.
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Fernando Ortega Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace
Streams of mercy, never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet
Sung by flaming tongues above
Praise His name, I'm fixed upon it
Name of God's redeeming love
Hitherto, Thy love has blessed me
Thou hast drawn me to this place
And I know Thy hand will lead me
Safely home by Thy good grace
Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wandering from the fold of God
He to rescue me from danger
Bought me with His precious blood
O to grace, how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter
Bind my wandering heart to Thee
Prone to wander, Lord I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart, O take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above
In "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing," Fernando Ortega sings a hymn of praise to God, acknowledging him as the source of every blessing in his life. The first verse focuses on the theme of worship, asking God to tune his heart to sing His grace and to call forth songs of loudest praise that reflect mercy that never ceases. The second verse speaks of God's love and how it has blessed Ortega and led him to his current place, putting his faith in God’s grace to continue leading him safely home. The third and final verse is a personal confession of the singer's inadequacy and tendency to wander away from God, asking Him to bind his heart like a fetter, constrain him, and seal his heart for the courts of heaven.
The song is a reminder of God's grace and love, particularly in moments when we feel lost, and how His guiding hand will lead us safely home. The idea of our propensity to stray and God's constant presence and forgiveness is the central message conveyed in the hymn. Overall, the lyrics are intended to glorify God as the sole provider of blessings and grace.
Line by Line Meaning
Come, Thou fount of every blessing
I am calling upon You, the source and provider of all blessings.
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace
Help me to be in tune with You, so that I may sing praises to Your grace.
Streams of mercy, never ceasing
Your never-ending mercy flows like streams, always present and always abundant.
Call for songs of loudest praise
Your abundant mercy inspires us to sing joyful praises to You.
Teach me some melodious sonnet
Guide me in singing a beautiful and meaningful song to You.
Sung by flaming tongues above
As the heavenly beings sing praises to You, may my voice join in unison.
Praise His name, I'm fixed upon it
I am determined to praise Your name, for Your redeeming love has taken hold of me.
Name of God's redeeming love
Your loving and saving grace is a part of who You are, and I am grateful for it.
Hitherto, Thy love has blessed me
Up to this point, Your love has brought me blessings and kept me on this path.
Thou hast drawn me to this place
You have led me to this moment and this place in my journey because of Your love.
And I know Thy hand will lead me
I have faith that You will continue to guide me with Your loving hand.
Safely home by Thy good grace
Through Your grace, I trust that I will arrive safely at my final destination.
Jesus sought me when a stranger
When I was lost and a stranger to You, Jesus found and brought me back to You.
Wandering from the fold of God
I had strayed away from You, but You never gave up on me.
He to rescue me from danger
Jesus came to my rescue and saved me from the danger of being lost forever.
Bought me with His precious blood
Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice by shedding His own blood to redeem and save me.
O to grace, how great a debtor
I am forever indebted to Your grace, which is truly amazing and beyond measure.
Daily I'm constrained to be
Each day, I feel compelled to live in a way that honors and glorifies You.
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter
May Your goodness and love bind my wandering heart to You like a chain, keeping me close to You.
Bind my wandering heart to Thee
May You keep my heart from straying and always keep it focused on You.
Prone to wander, Lord I feel it
I know that I am prone to wander away from You, and I ask for Your help in staying close to You.
Prone to leave the God I love
I struggle with the temptation to turn away from You, the God that I love.
Here's my heart, O take and seal it
I offer up my heart to You, asking that You seal it so that I may remain faithful and devoted to You always.
Seal it for Thy courts above
May my heart be sealed for the glorious heavenly courts where I will one day worship You forever.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: TRADITIONAL, SUFJAN STEVENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Janice Bultman Bogott
on Into Your Presence
Is there anywhere I can get the sheet music for piano for this song? I just love it!!