There Shall Be Showers of Blessing

The Story behind "There Shall Be Showers of Blessing"

Daniel Webster Whittle (named after the famous American statesman, Daniel Webster) was born in 1840 in Massachusetts and died in that same Northeastern state in 1901. When Daniel was twenty years old, the American Civil War broke out between the North and the South. Whittle and his wife, Abigail, were mar­ried in 1861, the very night be­fore he was mustered into Com­pa­ny B of the 72nd Il­li­nois In­fan­try to fight in the conflict. Whittle achieved the rank of Major and for the rest of his life was known as such.

Major Whittle lost his right arm during a battle, and while convalescing in a prisoner of war camp, he was wakened by an orderly who told him a dying soldier asked for someone to pray with him. Whittle was not yet a Christian, although he had examined a Bible “for something to read” while there. He admitted the words resonated with him, but he made no profession of faith at that time. The orderly had seen him reading and assumed Whittle to be a believer who could pray with the dying man.

Whittle wrote, “I dropped on my knees and held the boy’s hand in mine. In a few broken words I confessed my sins and asked Christ to forgive me. I believed right there that He did forgive me. I then prayed earnestly for the boy. He became quiet and pressed my hand as I prayed and pleaded God’s promises. When I arose from my knees, he was dead. A look of peace had come over his troubled face, and I cannot but believe that God who used him to bring me to the Savior, used me to lead him to trust Christ’s precious blood and find pardon. I hope to meet him in heaven.”

After the war, Major Whittle found other work. Less than ten years post-war, however, he aspired to and became an evangelist, and during that time met and worked with musicians James McGranahan and Phillip Bliss. His own daughter, May Moody (Dwight Moody’s daughter-in-law) also wrote music for some of his lyrics.

When asked why he dedicated his life to the proclamation of the Gospel, Whittle said, “while at work, I went into the vault and in the dead silence of the quietest of places I gave my life to my Heavenly Father to use as He would.”

Scripturual Inspiration in "There Shall Be Showers of Blessing"

Ezekiel 34:26 is the overarching verse that guides this hymn, but others add to its beauty as it looks to the sovereign Lord as our Redeemer and Sustainer. 

Stanza One

The One who is Love freely gives His love (John 3:16).

God is always faithful to His promises (Hebrews 10:23).

The Savior (Jesus Christ) is in heaven (Acts 2:33).

Refrain

God is merciful as He rains mercy down upon us (Exodus: 37:6; Psalm 116:1; Mark 5:19; Luke 1:50; Romans 9:16; Ephesians 2:4; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 4:16; 1 Peter 1:3).

Stanza Two

We are revived again (born again- John 3:3; 1 Peter 1:23; Revelation 20:6).

Stanza Three

God brings everything He purposes to completion, with refreshment along the way (sanctification) – Philippians 1:6; Matthew 11:28; Jeremiah 31:25; 2 Thessalonians 2:13).

Stanza Four

We come to Jesus to confess and we call on Him for the blessing of forgiveness (1 John 1:9; Matthew 11:28; 1 Corinthians 1:2).

Stanza Five

Jesus lived the perfect life we cannot live, and He died the death we deserve. Our faith and trust is in Him. We seek to obey Him because we love Him and are grateful for what He has done by atoning for our sins (Ephesians 2:8; 1 John 4:19; Hebrews 11:6).

As Christians, we understand the impact showers of blessing bring. As emotional beings, we may even weep with joy when a blessing comes our way. But to behold showers of blessing is to behold, believe, trust, and rest in Christ. Lest we think great emotion only resides in women, ponder this: many classic hymns which stir our souls as we sing to the Lord (1 Chronicles 16:23; Psalm 150) were penned by men who love the Lord.

This hymn is jubilantly sung by the Gaithers. Keep an eye on the joyful faces as they praise the Lord in song.

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