Come, Thou font of every blessing (Unitarian version, rewrittten by Eugene B. Navias[?])

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 10 January 2006, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM
(to understand how I describe the signs in this translation).

1. COME-ON YOU-God YOURSELF BLESS US,
HELP-us OUR HEART WORTH YOUR GRACE.
WE PRAISE YOU-rt, WHY?
HAVE-MERCY-ON-us ON-AND-ON FOR US.
WE STRIVE-FOR LIVE PERFECT.
OUR HEART OVERFLOW LOVE.
TEACH-us FAITH WE SHOULD CHERISH,
HOPE WE WORTH GOOD~THINGS God-(2h)alt.GIFT-TO-us.

2. COME-ON YOU-rt YOURSELF
HELP US ENVISION FUTURE "WHAT".
(<) LION, (>) LAMB, KNEEL-TOGETHER TOGETHER,
FROM-NOW-ON PEACE SPREAD.
PRAY (2h)#ALL WAR SOON SILENT,
HOPE OUR LOVE GLOW IDEA~LIKE SUN.
HAPPEN SERVE EACH-OTHER, HERE EARTH earth-SAME-AS-heaven HEAVEN.

3. COME-ON YOU-rt HELP INSPIRED US.
OUR LIVE ADVANCED SHOULD.
(<) SAD, (>) DEPRESSED, PUT-ASIDE.
God-SHOW-us TODAY GET-BENEFIT HOW.
HELP-us GROUP-TOGETHER COOPERATE.
HELP-us OUR HANDS SHOW"all" YOUR LOVE.
COME-ON YOU-God REPRESENT JUSTICE,
MAKE EARTH FAIR LIKE HEAVEN.


Notes: COME-ON - (2h)[B^] move in circles pivoting at the wrists to beckon someone to do something.

YOU - Underlined words are honorific indices ("indexes"), using the FT of the upturned palm to indicate who is being honored.

BLESS - (2h)[O^], POs ><, held at mouth. Hands are brought downwards while opening to (2h)[5]. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Bless.

GRACE - [O^] or [S], held high and PO > Heaven, supinates and opens to [5] while being brought towards head. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Grace.

HAVE-MERCY-ON-us - (2h)[open 8], POs > signer, hands move in vertical circles normal (perpendicular) to the chest. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Mercy - 2.

ON-AND-ON - CONTINUE is signed in a vertical circle normal (perpendicular) to the chest.

STRIVE-FOR - Hands are oriented like the sign GOAL but the DH moves in a vertical circle as if trying to get to the goal, but not yet successful.

OVERFLOW - [5], PO down, FO away, covers top of [S], PO > DS, FO away, and FT wiggle as the hand moves away, like a cup overflowing. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - overflow.

GIFT-TO-us - (2h)[X], POs ><, FOs up, nod downwards at wrist > signer to show that something is given as a gift.

ENVISION - (2h)[S] are held at forehead with DH closer to head, and hands open to (2h)[5] while separating while FT wg. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Vision - 1.

KNEEL-TOGETHER - (2h)[V:], PO > signer, FOs down, hands descend slightly side by side to show the lion and the lamb kneeling down together.

FROM-NOW-ON - (2h)[B^], POs ><, FOs away, DHFT touches knuckle side of NDHFT and moves away in a downward arc. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - from now on.

(2h)#ALL - (2h)[A], POs ><, FOs up, are held at shoulder height and move away while opening to (2h)[L].

GLOW - [5^], PO away, FO up, DH opens and closes as if glowing.

IDEA~LIKE - a blending where IDEA has a [Y] instead of an [I] in anticipation of LIKE which is signed smoothly right afterwards.

ADVANCED - (2h)[B^], POs ><, FOs up, move upwards arcing towards the signer. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Exalted.

PUT-ASIDE - (2h)[B], POs > DS, with DH higher, palms are pressed against imaginary wall that is pushed to one side.

GET-BENEFIT - Sometimes called TAKE-ADVANTAGE, but not the sign that can imply negativity. Here is means [5:], PO > signer, FOs > NDS, is laid at the end of the NDH fingers and moves along the palm > the signer, ending by closing to an [S] and moving upwards.

GROUP-TOGETHER - (2h)[C], POs ><, FOs away, hands are brought together as if pushing people/things together into a group.

JUSTICE - (2h)[B^], POs ><, FOs up, tap FTs while moving in a horizontal circle.

FAIR - (2h)[B^], POs ><, FOs up, tap FTs, but stay in place.

Lyrics:

I don't have all the words. If anyone could send them to me, I would be most grateful.

1. Come, thou fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
...
...
Teach us ever to be faithful
...

2. Come thou fount of every measure.
Lift our eyes to what may come.
See the lion and the lamb...
Hear the cries of war fall silent;
Feel our love glow like the sun;
When we all serve one another,
Then our heaven is begun.

3. Come thou font of inspiration.
Let our hearts....
...
...
Help us bind ourselves in union.
Help our hands tell of our love.
...
...

treble clef as a symbol for musicTo hear a performance, go to Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing (No. 126)

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