17
July 1674 A.D. Isaac
Watts Born—Nonconformist, Anti-Anglican Hymn Writer; “Father of English Hymnody”
No author. “Isaac Watts.” CCEL.org.
N.d. http://www.ccel.org/browse/authorInfo?id=watts. Accessed 9 May 2014.
Summary
Isaac Watts (17 July 1674 – 25 November 1748) was an English hymnwriter,
theologian and logician. A prolific and popular hymnwriter, he was recognised
as the "Father of English Hymnody", credited with some 650 hymns.
Many of his hymns remain in use today, and have been translated into many
languages.
July 17, 1674,
Southampton
Southampton
November 25, 1748
Bible, Childrens songs,
Conduct of life, Congregational churches, Early works
Biography
Source:
hymntime.com
Watts was born July 17, 1674 at Southampton, England, the eldest of nine children.
His father was a Dissenter from the Anglican Church and on at least one
occasion was thrown in jail for not following the Church of England. Isaac
followed his father's strongly biblical faith. Isaac was a very intelligent
child who loved books and learned to read early. He began learning Latin at age
four and went on to learn Greek, Hebrew, and French as well. From an early age
Isaac had a propensity to rhyming, and often even his conversation was in rhyme.
Because Isaac would not follow the
national Church of England, he could not attend the Universities of Cambridge
or Oxford. Instead, he attended an academy sponsored by Independent Christians.
After completing his formal schooling, Watts spent five years as a tutor.
During those years he began to devote himself more diligently than before to
the study of the Scriptures. In 1707 he published his first edition of Hymns
and Spiritual Songs.
For a few years Watts served as an
assistant and then pastor to an Independent congregation in London. A violent
and continual fever from which he never recovered forced him to leave the
pastorate. Sir Thomas Abney received Watts into his home, and Sir Thomas'
family continued to provide a home and serve as Watts' patrons for the next 36
years!
Though naturally quick to resentment
and anger, the Lord used Watts' sufferings to produce a gentle, modest, and
charitable spirit. Out of his compassion, one-third of his small allowance was
given to the poor. Watts' tenderness to children can be seen reflected in his
lovely Divine Songs for Children, published in 1715.
Watts' most published book was his Psalms
of David, first published in 1719. In his poetic paraphrases of the psalms,
Watts adapted the psalms for use by the Church and made David speak "the
language of a Christian." Examples of Watts' method can be seen in his
paraphrases of Psalm 72 into the hymn "Jesus Shall Reign Wher'er the
Sun," Psalm 90 into "O God, Our Help in Ages Past," and Psalm 98
into "Joy to the World."
Benjamin Franklin first published
Watts' psalm paraphrases in America in 1729. Franklin was not the only American
publisher to take an interest in Watt's hymns. In Boston his hymns were
published in 1739. They were well-loved by Americans of the Revolutionary
period.
Besides over 600 hymns, Watts
published 52 other works, including a book of logic used in the universities,
books on grammar, pedagogy, ethics, psychology, astronomy, geography, three
volumes of sermons, and 29 treatises on theology. After his death on November
25, 1748, a monument to Watts was erected in Westminster Abbey. His greatest
monument, however, are the hymns to his God still used by Christ's church.
Psalms and Hymns of Isaac
Watts brings together some of the
best hymns by beloved hymn writer Isaac Watts. Watts, who wrote over six
hundred hymns, had a penchant for incorporating strong theology into his hymns.
Consequently, his hymns not only entertain; they also teach. Psalms and
Hymns of Isaac Watts includes a hymn for almost every book of Psalms.
(And for many chapters, it has several hymns.) It also has four hundred
additional hymns and spiritual songs, broadly arranged in three
categories--hymns from Scripture, hymns on "Divine Subjects," and
hymns for communion. It also contains many of Watt's more popular hymns--for
example, "Joy to the World" and "When I Survey the Wondrous
Cross." Many have found it pleasurable to read Psalms and Hymns of
Isaac Watts alongside their devotions. Come read and enjoy the wonderful
hymns by the "Father of English Hymns!"
Divine and Moral Songs
Internal (CCEL)
Wikipedia Article
External
Internal (CCEL)
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