William Cowper (1731-1800) wrote the hymn, “There is a Fountain Filled with Blood” in 1772 based on Zechariah 13:1, “On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.” The last verse of the hymn contains the eschatological hope that was also personal to Cowper:
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue
Lies silent in the grave,
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
I’ll sing Thy power to save:
I’ll sing Thy power to save,
I’ll sing Thy power to save;
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
I’ll sing Thy power to save.
William Cowper had a great fear of public speaking. After he successfully completed law studies in college, Cowper was supposed to undergo bar exams to practice law. However, the fear of being examined publicly to be admitted to the bar, as it was a practice then, forced him to decide not to practice as a lawyer.
Later In 1763, through his father, Cowper was about to secure a job as one of the clerks of the British Parliament. However, the requirement for public interview for the post led him to depression and attempted suicide. He later wrote in his memoir, “All the horrors of my fears and perplexities now returned. A thunderbolt would have been as welcome to me as this intelligence (interview) … Those whose spirits are formed like mine, to whom a public exhibition of themselves, on any occasion, is mortal poison, may have some idea of the horror of my situation; others can have none.”
It is also believed that Cowper might had a speech impediment that made him stammer. However, despite this impairment and glossophobia (fear of public speaking), Cowper with great eschatological hope looked forward to his glorification when his stammering tongue would be made perfect hence would be able to sing “a nobler, sweeter song.” It is as if Cowper had Corinthians 15:42-43 in mind, “So also it is with resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.” What a great eschatological hope!
Like Cowper, all of us have defects of some kind. Some of these defects are more noticeable than others. Some are spiritual while others are physical. However, we are assured that in glory all imperfections, defects, or weaknesses whether spiritual or physical will be no more. We will have perfect bodies and sinless souls. There in glory we will forever sing nobler and sweeter songs of Christ’s power to save. Praise the Lord for such a great salvation!
Confex Makhalira 