Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy Lyrics Joseph Hart, 1759
4 verses and a refrain, public domain, free to print and project.
The words
Verse 1. Come, ye sinners, poor and needy,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity, love and pow’r.
Refrain I will arise and go to Jesus,
He will embrace me in his arms;
In the arms of my dear Saviour,
Oh, there are ten thousand charms.
Verse 2. Come, ye thirsty, come, and welcome,
God’s free bounty glorify;
True belief and true repentance,
Ev’ry grace that brings you nigh.
Verse 3. Come, ye weary, heavy laden,
Lost and ruined by the fall;
If you tarry till you’re better,
You will never come at all.
Verse 4. Let not conscience make you linger,
Nor of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness he requireth
Is to feel your need of him.
Sing the refrain after every verse.
Words copied from New Baptist Hymnal (1926). They were published in 1759, so they are in the public domain in the United States, and your church may print them, show them and sing them without a license.
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The story behind Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy
Joseph Hart published the hymn in 1759 in Hymns Composed on Various Subjects under the title Come, and welcome, to Jesus Christ. It ran seven six-line stanzas. Hart was a London Independent minister who traced his own change of heart to a sermon at the Moravian Chapel in Fetter Lane in 1757. In 1759 he became minister of the chapel in Jewin Street. The modern text cuts and rearranges his stanzas, and editors such as Conyers in 1774 and Toplady in 1776 made many of the early changes. The refrain alludes to the prodigal son and comes from an anonymous ballad. Sources date its appearance differently. Hymnary.org says 1802, and UMC Discipleship Ministries cites Southern hymnbooks as early as 1811. The usual American tune ARISE, also called RESTORATION, comes from William Walker's Southern Harmony of 1835. The hymn never appeared in a Wesley collection. Ira Sankey included it in Gospel Hymns Nos. 1 to 6 Complete in 1894. Hymnary.org lists it in 1,575 hymnals. The Psalter Hymnal suggests it for invitations, altar calls and the Lord's Supper.
Joseph Hart
1712 to 1768-05-24
Joseph Hart was born in London in 1712. Records of his early life are thin. He had a good education and reportedly taught classical languages. He described a period of loose living before a lasting change around Whitsuntide 1757, which he credited largely to a sermon at the Moravian Chapel in Fetter Lane, London. In 1759 he became minister of the Independent Chapel in Jewin Street. That year he published Hymns Composed on Various Subjects, with a supplement in 1762 and an appendix in 1765. Calvinistic Nonconformists used his hymns widely. He died on May 24, 1768.
- Hymnary.org, Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy , read 2026-10-16
- Hymnary.org, Psalter Hymnal 534 , read 2026-10-16
- UMC Discipleship Ministries, History of Hymns: Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy , read 2026-10-16
- Hymnary.org, Joseph Hart , read 2026-10-16
Scripture in Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy
The Bible passages behind the words.
- Matthew 9:13
- Matthew 11:28
- Luke 15:11-32
- Isaiah 55:1
- Revelation 22:17
Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy videos
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Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy Martijn de Groot, Congregation
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Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy • T4G Live IV [Official Lyric Video] SovereignGraceMusic, Congregation
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COME, YE SINNERS, POOR AND NEEDY (SATB Choir) - arr. Heather Sorenson Hal Leonard Church Choral, Choir
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Come Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy (a capella) Federal Way Church of Christ, A cappella
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Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy | Relaxing Piano Hymn with lyrics Relaxing Piano Moments, Piano
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Vertical Worship - Come Ye Sinners (Live Performance) Vertical Worship, Modern arrangement
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Print and project
Chords and keys
Hymnals print it in F minor.
Questions people ask
Who wrote Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy?
Joseph Hart wrote it, and he published it in 1759 in Hymns Composed on Various Subjects. His collection carried the title Come, and welcome, to Jesus Christ.
Who wrote the refrain?
Hymnary.org and UMC Discipleship Ministries both say the refrain is anonymous and comes from a prodigal son ballad. Sources differ on its first printing, with dates from 1802 to 1811.
What tune is used for the hymn?
Most American hymnals use ARISE, also called RESTORATION, from William Walker's Southern Harmony of 1835. Other tunes include BEACH SPRING and PLEADING SAVIOR.
Which Bible passages does the hymn draw on?
The Psalter Hymnal ties stanza 1 to Matthew 9:13, stanza 3 to Matthew 11:28, and stanza 4 to the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32.
Is Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy in the public domain?
The words are public domain in the United States. Hart first published them in 1759, and Walker's tune dates from 1835. Modern altered versions in some hymnals may carry their own copyright.
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