Bleak winter is subdued at length. J. Newton. [Spring.] First published in the Olney Hymns, 1779, Book ii., No. 32, in 9 stanzas of 4 lines. In its full form it is not in common use, but an unaltered version of stanzas ii.—v. and ix. is given as: "Behold! long-wished for spring is come," in Rippon's Selection, 1787, and later editions.
-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)