Many hymns have unusual backgrounds. Such is this hymn penned in 1707 by a young man, Isaac Watts, when he was only about 20.
The author's father, Isaac Watts, Sr., was a clothier and a deacon in the Above Bar Congregational Church in Southampton, England. He and his wife, Sarah, were "Dissenters", Non-Anglicans. This was a treasonous offense in those days. About the time that their son prematurely arrived, the elder Watts was arrested. It is said that Sarah nursed her newborn son while seated on a stone outside the prison.
After Watts was released, they discovered that they had a very gifted son. He loved books. He learned Latin at age four, Greek at nine and Hebrew at thirteen. He loved rhyme and verse and wrote poetry.
After Isaac graduated from grammar school, a wealthy friend offered to send him to school in Oxford. But he declined since that would have required his becoming Anglican. Instead, he enrolled in a college level school for Dissenters in Stoke Newington, London. There he excelled.
After graduation from college, he returned to Southampton. There he complained to his father about the dismal singing at church. Only arrangements of the Psalms were used. Martin Luther taught his followers to sing hymns, but John Calvin allowed only the singing of the scriptures. Watts argued with his father that singing only the Psalms made them miss important New Testament truth. His father then challenged him to write a hymn.
Centering his thoughts on Revelation 5, he did so. This week's hymn is his first. Once his congregation was convinced of what Isaac was saying, he began turning out a new hymn each week. This hymn reveals the amazing breadth of his Biblical knowledge. There are allusions to many Scriptural passages.
Watts went on to write over 600 hymns, earning him the title of "Father of English Hymnody."
Listen to this old hymn being sung. BEHOLD
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