Who was Isaac Watts?

Some of the hymns that we sing are very old, almost as old as the Christian church. “Shepherd of tender youth,” for instance, was written by Clement of Alexandria, who was born about the year 160 and died in 217. Another hymn that we often sing, “A shameful death He dies,” was written by an unknown author in the ninth century and translated by W. J. Blew from the Latin. Others, like “Lord Jesus, think on me,” were written much earlier. That hymn is attributed to Synesius (375-430), and was translated from the Greek. “Saviour, the very thought of Thee,” and “O Head once full of bruises,” were written in Latin, and are evidently from the pen of Bernard of Clairvaux, who lived from 1091 to 1153. Much later many German hymns were translated by John Wesley, who, with his brother Charles, composed many hymns as well. About the same time Isaac Watts, not satisfied with singing only Psalms, composed a prolific number of hymns, which we still sing. He lived from 1674 to 1748. In the last century there was an awakening in France, and many hymns were written during that time. César Malan and Henri Rossier are two of the best-known authors of this period, and some of their hymns have been translated into English and other languages. In England John Nelson Darby and Sir Edward Denny composed many hymns that we still enjoy singing. During the last century the “gospel hymn” came into being. Some of these are still favourites, although many are sentimental, and not always spiritually sound. This century has also developed a slightly different form of “song”. Some of the recent compositions are based wholly on verses of Scripture, which is certainly commendable, although the practice in some quarters of singing the same words over and over again detracts from the appreciation of the text.

The great Dr. Johnson, of dictionary fame, once said of the greater Dr. Watts that he was a man to be imitated in everything but his nonconformity to the Church of England. This is a very good testimony to have “from them that are without.” It reminds us of the enemies of Daniel, who were compelled to acknowledge: “We shall not find anything against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.” At a charge in the American Revolution, when for want of better wadding the colonials had to ram their flint locks with leaves from old Watts’ hymn books taken from his nearest meeting house, the commanding officer cried, as they approached the enemy: “Now then, give them Watts, boys.” And, fellow soldiers of Jesus Christ, as we daily meet the enemy, let us, in a spiritual or parabolic sense, “give him Watts”; let us meet his accusations false and charges unjust with the testimony of a good conscience, the recoil of a blameless life. This is what Scripture means by the practical, godly life, “known and read of all men.”

"But for me, far be it to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom (or through which) to me (the) world is crucified, and I to (the) world." These law teachers were boasting in the proselytes they were making amongst the Galatian Christians. They were boasting over each one who received circumcision. They were boasting in the flesh. Paul had only one boast — the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ! To most people today His cross is still a shame and a scandal (Gal. 5:11). Even most Christians today are ashamed to mention His cross as they go about their daily labors. To Paul, it was all his glory, it was all his boast. Paul could exclaim: "The Son of God loved me, and gave Himself for me!" Paul could cry: yes, gave Himself for me, to die on a Roman gibbet, like the lowest and worst criminal; and all because He took my place. That was the cross! It is not the cross as we see it so often printed and painted, or made up in gold or silver or wood ornaments. That was not the cross in which Paul boasted, but the cruel, rough, wicked murder of God's only begotten Son, who went to that cross willingly, for Paul's sake, and for my sake. Is that not enough to make me boast in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ? Could I ever be ashamed of His cross when I remember that He went to that cross for me? May God help us to follow Paul in this blessed verse. When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast Save in the cross of Christ, my God; All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood. See from His head, His hands, His feet, Sorrow and love flow mingling down; Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown? Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were an offering far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all. To Christ, who won for sinners grace, By bitter grief and anguish sore, Be praise from all the ransom'd race Forever and forevermore. (I. Watts)

Again, it is a notable fact that singing is a means of deeply embedding truth (or, alas! that it should be so, error) in a person's heart. There is an extravagant paradox that is often quoted, to the effect that if a man had the making of a nation's ballads, he need not care who had the making of its laws. Whatever the degree of truth this may contain, it is certain that sacred hymnology has an incalculable effect upon Christian thought and belief. Scriptural hymns exercise a sanctifying and instructive influence whenever sung; while on the contrary an unsound hymn, whatever its "beauty" as a composition, injures and does not help. How many hearts have thrilled with fervent adoration as they have joined in Watts' "When I survey the wondrous cross," etc., or in Hart's "How good is the God we adore," etc. And on the other hand how many hearts have been blinded as to the fact of the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit by the many hymns, which pray for His present coming or His outpouring, such as, "Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest, Vouchsafe within our souls to rest, etc." Such sentiments entirely overlook the Lord's promise that the Comforter should come to abide forever (John 14:16), and expressly deny that Acts 2 was the fulfilment of that promise; and the mass, who are alas! not accustomed to "prove all things," through singing such hymns receive this false and mischievous unbelief to the damage of their own souls.

A few years ago a Bishop, known to the writer, was very ill indeed. His life was almost despaired of. He looked death in the face. When at last he recovered from his illness, and a thanksgiving service was arranged for throughout his diocese, he requested that Isaac Watt’s wonderful hymn should be sung, as “it had taken on a NEW meaning” to him as he lay in the valley of death.

“When I survey the wondrous cross, On which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride.”

What a week of joy and blessing Josiah and his people experienced in Jerusalem! It was a revival indeed. We have already seen that in both "Kings" and "Chronicles" we are told that there had been nothing like it for several centuries. But why did Josiah convene a Paschal week rather than a week for the feast of Tabernacles? Because the Passover was Jehovah's great foundation institution for His people, and His people must begin where He begins. It was the memorial of His marvellous deliverance of Israel in the days of Moses. It was intended to have a three-fold appeal: — (1) to the individual; (2) to the family; and (3) to the nation corporately. Every first-born in Josiah's time would recall how the first-born was spared in Egypt, and he would thus learn something of the value of the sprinkled blood. So with the individual now. It is good to sing with the assembly: "Worthy the Lamb that's gone on high To be exalted thus; Worthy the Lamb that died, we cry, For He was slain for us." — Dr. Watts. but each individual also delights to say, "The Son of God loved me and gave Himself for me" (Gal. 2:20). Personal pronouns are very acceptable upon our lips when we sing to God individually; but personal pronouns are out of place in the assembly. "My Redeemer! Oh how sweet to call Thee mine!" is more suitable for the home than for the assembly.

A didactic statement, like 18, 64, etc. has no real right to a place; nor is Watts' (30) quite suitable, as being a sermonette with a hymnal preface and end, (or Haweis' (32) with its warm individual feeling). Is it well for assembly worship to use verses which teach "Jesus!" or even us the difference between the Levitical economy and Christianity? It may be in the later pieces. The 'Good Tidings' Hymn Book, again, more appropriately has such as 39, 40, 53, 62, 67, 111, etc. Number 22 is a touching record, but not a hymn. Take 54, 63, 82, 93, 98, 99, etc. however fine in varying degree, they naturally follow those of adoration.

The passengers’ $25 was a pitiable sum. What is your response? Surely Dr. Watts has furnished in his immortal hymn the only adequate answer: “Love so amazing so divine, Demands my heart, my life, my all.”

"Now the full glories of the Lamb adorn the heavenly throne," as a beautiful hymn of Dr. Watts says. Constantly through this epistle we have been looking up and seeing this. But let me ask, do you see glories anywhere in "these last days" that are not attaching to the Lord in heaven? You will tell me that all glory belongs to Him, and I grant it; but I tell you, you ought to see glories attaching to yourselves. Such is the wondrous working of God, that He has made the poor sinner a glorious creature. These same last days that have set Christ on high, in the midst of the glories, have set the poor believing sinner down here in the midst of glories.

The Bishop, too, found when the need came that Watt’s hymn, founded on the author’s personal experience of the grace of God, took on a new meaning.