Hymn Desk
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Isaac Watts

1674–1748 · England · Baroque

Author

English Congregational minister often called the father of English hymnody; author of some 750 hymns including 'Joy to the World' and 'O God, Our Help in Ages Past'.

Life

Isaac Watts was born in Southampton in 1674, the eldest of nine children of a Nonconformist family; his father was twice imprisoned for his convictions. Barred as a Dissenter from Oxford and Cambridge, he studied at the Dissenting Academy in Stoke Newington, and that village remained the centre of his life. He became tutor to the Hartopp family and through them came to know Sir Thomas and Lady Mary Abney, in whose household he lived for thirty-six years. He began preaching in 1698 and became pastor of the Independent congregation at Mark Lane in London, though poor health limited his ministry from 1712. Besides hymns he wrote widely read works on logic, education and theology. He died in 1748.

As a Hymn Writer

Watts broke the English Dissenting churches' habit of singing only metrical psalms. His Hymns and Spiritual Songs (1707) offered freely composed Christian hymns, and The Psalms of David Imitated in the Language of the New Testament (1719) rendered the Psalms so that they speak of Christ: Psalm 72 becomes 'Jesus Shall Reign', Psalm 90 'O God, Our Help in Ages Past', Psalm 98 'Joy to the World'. He also wrote Divine Songs for children (1715). His style is plain and strong, mostly in common, long and short metre, built for congregations to learn quickly. Hymn Desk's TLH texts include more of his hymns than any other author's, even Luther's; Lutherans value them for their sturdy objectivity: God's majesty, Christ's cross, and the believer's confidence in God's covenant faithfulness.

In The Lutheran Hymnal and Lutheran Service Book (30)

  • TLH 10 This Is the Day the Lord hath Made
  • TLH 13 Before Jehovah's Awe-full Throne
  • TLH 15 From All that Dwell below the Skies
  • TLH 27 Oh, Bless the Lord, My Soul
  • TLH 43 We Sing the Almighty Power of God
  • TLH 87 Joy to the World, the Lord is Come
  • TLH 123 Our God, Our Help in Ages Past
  • TLH 154 Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed
  • TLH 156 Not All the Blood of Beasts
  • TLH 164 'Twas on That Dark, That Doleful Night
  • TLH 175 When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
  • TLH 220 Jesus, My Great High Priest
  • TLH 248 Father of Glory, to Thy Name
  • TLH 286 How Shall the Young Secure Their Hearts
  • TLH 289 The Law Commands and Makes Us Know
  • TLH 325 O Thou that Hear'st when Sinners Cry
  • TLH 344 Come, Let Us Join Our Cheerful Songs
  • TLH 382 Lord, We Confess Our Numerous Faults
  • TLH 392 Blest Is the Man, Forever Blest
  • TLH 414 The Man Is Ever Blest
  • TLH 416 Oh, that the Lord Would Guide My Ways
  • TLH 426 The Lord My Shepherd Is
  • TLH 445 Am I a Soldier of the Cross
  • TLH 460 Behold the Sure Foundation-Stone
  • TLH 478 The Saints on Earth and Those Above
  • TLH 480 Lord of the Worlds Above
  • TLH 487 How Beauteous Are Their Feet
  • TLH 511 Jesus Shall Reign Where'er the Sun
  • TLH 593 Why Do We Mourn Departing Friends
  • TLH 636 Great Is the Lord, Our God

Sources: Wikipedia, 'Isaac Watts'.

Hymn Texts (37)