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Isaac Watts and the Emergence of Hymnody
Where reason fails,
With all her pow'rs,
There faith prevails
And love adores.
"...if we can pray to God in sentences that we have made up ourselves (instead of confining ourselves to the Our Father and other prayers taken directly from the Scriptures), then surely we can sing to God in sentences that we have made up ourselves."
Turn, turn us mighty God,
And mould our souls afresh;
Break, sovereign grace, these hearts of stone,
And give us hearts of flesh
Readings
Selections from Watts' letters, a short biography, a sermon, and numerous hymns.
Historical Situation/Pastoral Need- Enlightenment thinking beginning to corrode faith, especially in Anglican church.
- There emerged an increasing divide between the Anglican state church and Congregational non-conformists.
- The latter accused the former of "spiritual deadness" and were themselves accused in turn of "enthusiasm."
- Whatever your affiliation, it seemed song-singing in worship was often moribund.
- The Psalms themselves had been set to meter to enhance memorization, not poetic power.
- The commonly used Sternhold/Hopkins Psalter was particularly plodding.
Worship Innovation
Publication of Psalms and Hymns (1718)
- Hymns full of theological content (Watts was a preacher) and poetic power
- Examples: Joy to the World, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed, Jesus Shall Reign Where'er the Sun
- Paraphrases of Psalms that gave them a Christocentric spin and began to blur the line between Psalms and hymns
- Examples: O God, Our Help in Ages Past (Ps. 90), My Shepherd Will Supply My Need (Ps. 23)
Contemporary Application
- Do we accuse each other today of spiritual deadness or enthusiasm?
- Do we attend to the way songs teach us theological content?
- What theological content is taught in some of our favorite worship songs?
- What about singing words in worship that are of human rather than divine composition? Is this acceptable? Why or why not?
Related Links:
The Psalms and Hymns of Isaac Watts from the CCEL
A short biography of Watts' life
Watts' page at The Cyber Hymnal, including links to hundreds of his hymns
Our God, Our Help in Ages Past (Ps. 90)
Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.
Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.
Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.
Thy Word commands our flesh to dust,
"Return, ye sons of men:"
All nations rose from earth at first,
And turn to earth again.
A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.
The busy tribes of flesh and blood,
With all their lives and cares,
Are carried downwards by the flood,
And lost in following years.
Time, like an ever rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.
Like flowery fields the nations stand
Pleased with the morning light;
The flowers beneath the mower's hand
Lie withering ere 'tis night.
Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.