Song of Moses and Israel
I sing the mighty power of God
The hymn celebrates God's omnipotence and providential care in Old Testament salvation history while inviting contemporary singers into participation in that same divine work. For Lutherans, it expresses confidence in God's sovereign power working through creation and redemption, consistent with the doctrine of God's sustaining providence.
History & Background
Isaac Watts composed this hymn in 1715 as a metrical paraphrase of Exodus 15, the Song of Moses sung after the crossing of the Red Sea. It was first published in Watts' Hymns and Spiritual Songs (1715) and became one of the most widely distributed hymns in English hymnody.
Hymnal Appearances
- Baptist Hymnal — 44
- Chalice Hymnal — 59
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 886
- Glory to God — 32
- The Hymnal 1982 — 398
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 19
- Lutheran Service Book — 925
- Lift Up Your Hearts — 18
- Lutheran Worship — 8
- New Century Hymnal — 12
- Trinity Hymnal — 119
- United Methodist Hymnal — 152
- Voices Together — 527
- With One Voice — 726
Bulletin Note
Isaac Watts (1715) paraphrases Exodus 15, the song Israel sang after crossing the Red Sea. Common Meter allows this 18th-century hymn to echo ancient Israel's cry of triumph in God's saving power.
Preaching Connection
This hymn crystallizes the Law-Gospel arc: God's judgment upon Egypt and merciful deliverance of Israel become a lens through which the congregation recognizes Christ's exodus from death and their own liberation through grace.
Catechism & Confessional Connections
- The Definition & Command of Baptism Small Catechism — Holy Baptism
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Law to Gospel: human inability to praise adequately (stanzas 1-2) → Christ's redemptive power transforming sinners (stanzas 3-5) → Trinitarian doxology (stanza 6)
Themes
God's power and majesty Divine providence Creation and sustenance Salvation history