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Hymns and Spiritual Songs

Isaac Watts

Section 16 of 42 - Table of Contents
Hymn 1:141.
The humiliation and exaltation of Christ,
Isa. 53. 1-5 10 11 12.

1 Who has believ'd thy word,
Or thy salvation known?
Reveal thine arm, almighty Lord,
And glorify thy Son.

2 The Jews esteem'd him here
Too mean for their belief:
Sorrows his chief acquaintance were,
And his companion, grief.

3 They turn'd their eyes away,
And treated him with scorn;
But 'twas their grief upon him lay,
Their sorrows he has borne.

4 'Twas for the stubborn Jews,
And Gentiles then unknown,
The God of justice pleas'd to bruise
His best beloved Son.

5 "But I'll prolong his days,
"And make his kingdom stand,
"My pleasure, (saith the God of grace)
"Shall prosper in his hand.

6 ["His joyful soul shall see
"The purchase of his pain,
"And by his knowledge justify
"The guilty sons of men.]

7 ["Ten thousand captive slaves,
"Releas'd from death and sin,
"Shall quit their prisons and their graves;
"And own his power divine.]

8 ["Heaven shall advance my Son
"To joys that earth deny'd;
"Who saw the follies men had done,
"And bore their sins, and dy'd."]


Hymn 1:142.
The same, Isa. 53. 6-9 12.

1 Like sheep we went astray,
And broke the fold of God,
Each wandering in a different way,
But all the downward road.

2 How dreadful was the hour
When God our wanderings laid,
And did at once his vengeance pour
Upon the Shepherd's head!

3 How glorious was the grace
When Christ sustain'd the stroke!
His life and blood the Shepherd pays,
A ransom for the flock.

4 His honour and his breath
Were taken both away;
Join'd with the wicked in his death,
And made as vile as they.

5 But God shall raise his head
O'er all the sons of men,
And make him see a numerous seed
To recompense his pain.

6 "I'll give him, (saith the Lord)
"A portion with the strong;
"He shall possess a large reward,
"And hold his honours long."


Hymn 1:143.
Characters of the children of God,
from several scriptures.

1 So new born babes desire the breast
To feed, and grow, and thrive:
So saints with joy the gospel taste,
And by the gospel live.

2 [With inward gust their heart approves
All that the word relates;
They love the men their Father loves,
And hate the works he hates.]

3 [Not all the flattering baits on earth
Can make them slaves to lust;
They can't forget their heavenly birth,
Nor grovel in the dust.

4 Not all the chains that tyrants use
Shall bind their souls to vice;
Faith like a conqueror can produce
A thousand victories.]

5 [Grace like an uncorrupting seed
Abides and reigns within;
Immortal principles forbid
The sons of God to sin.]

6 [Not by the terrors of a slave
Do they perform his will,
But with the noblest powers they have
His sweet commands fulfil.]

7 They find access at every hour,
To God within the veil;
Hence they derive a quickening power,
And joys that never fail.

8 O happy souls! O glorious state
Of overflowing grace!
To dwell so near their Father's seat,
And see his lovely face.

9 Lord, I address thy heavenly throne;
Call me a child of thine,
Send down the Spirit of thy Son
To form my heart divine.

10 There shed thy choicest loves abroad,
And make my comforts strong:
Then shall I say, "My Father God,"
With an unwavering tongue.


Hymn 1:144.
The witnessing and sealing Spirit, Rom. 8. 14 16.
Eph. 1. 13 14.

1 Why should the children of a King
Go mourning all their days?
Great Comforter, descend and bring
Some tokens of thy grace.

2 Dost thou not dwell in all the saints,
And seal the heirs of heaven?
When wilt thou banish my complaints,
And shew my sins forgiven?

3 Assure my conscience of her part
In the Redeemer's blood;
And bear thy witness with my heart,
That I am born of God.

4 Thou art the earnest of his love,
The pledge of joys to come;
And thy soft wings, celestial dove,
Will safe convey me home.


Hymn 1:145.
Christ and Aaron. Taken from Heb. 7. and 9.

1 Jesus, in thee our eyes behold
A thousand glories more
Than the rich gems and polish'd gold
The sons of Aaron wore.

2 They first their own burnt-offerings brought
To purge themselves from sin;
Thy life was pure without a spot,
And all thy nature clean.

3 [Fresh blood as constant as the day
Was on their altar spilt;
But thy one offering takes away
For ever all our guilt.]

4 [Their priesthood ran thro' several hands.
For mortal was their race;
Thy never-changing office stands
Eternal as thy days.]

5 [Once in the circuit of a year
With blood, but not his own,
Aaron within the veil appears
Before the golden throne;

6 But Christ by his own powerful blood
Ascends above the skies,
And in the presence of our God
Shews his own sacrifice.]

7 Jesus, the King of Glory, reigns
On Sion's heavenly hill,
Looks like a lamb that has been slain,
And wears his priesthood still.

8 He ever lives to intercede
Before his Father's face;
Give him, my soul, thy cause to plead,
Nor doubt the Father's grace.


Hymn 1:146.
Characters of Christ, borrowed from inanimate
things, in scripture.

1 Go, worship at Immanuel's feet,
See in his face what wonders meet;
Earth is too narrow to express
His worth, his glory, or his grace.

2 [The whole creation can afford
But some faint shadows of my Lord:
Nature to make his beauties known
Must mingle colours not her own.]

3 [Is he compar'd to wine or bread?
Dear Lord, our souls would thus be fed;
That flesh, that dying blood of thine,
Is bread of life, is heavenly wine.]

4 [Is he a tree? The world receives
Salvation from his healing leaves;
That righteous branch, that fruitful bough,
Is David's root and offspring too.]

5 [Is he a rose? Not Sharon yields
Such fragrancy in all her fields:
Or if the lily he assume,
The vallies bless the rich perfume.]

6 [Is he a vine? His heavenly root
Supplies the boughs with life and fruit:
O let a lasting union join
My soul the branch to Christ the vine:

7 [Is he the head? Each member lives,
And owns the vital powers he gives;
The saints below, and saints above,
Join'd by his Spirit and his love.]

8 [Is he a fountain? There I bathe,
And heal the plague of sin and death
These waters all my soul renew,
And cleanse my spotted garments too.]

9 [Is he a fire? he'll purge my dross,
But the true gold sustains no loss;
Like a refiner shall he sit,
And tread the refuse with his feet.]

10 [Is he a rock? How firm he proves!
The rock of ages never moves;
Yet the sweet streams that from him flow
Attend us all the desert thro'.]

11 [Is he a way? He leads to God,
The path is drawn in lines of blood;
There would I walk with hope and zeal,
Till I arrive at Sion's hill.]

12 [Is he a door? I'll enter in
Behold the pastures large and green,
A paradise divinely fair,
None but the sheep have freedom there.]

13 [Is he design'd a corner-stone,
For men to build their heaven upon?
I'll make him my foundation too,
Nor fear the plots of hell below.]

14 [Is he a temple? I adore
Th'indwelling majesty and power;
And still to this most holy place,
Whene'er I pray, I turn my face.]

15 [Is he a star? He breaks the night,
Piercing the shades with dawning light;
I know his glories from afar,
I know the bright, the morning-star.]

16 [Is he a sun? His beams are grace,
His course is joy, and righteousness;
Nations rejoice when he appears
To chase their clouds, and dry their tears.

17 O let me climb those higher skies,
Where storms and darkness never rise!
There he displays his powers abroad,
And shines, and reigns th'incarnate God.]

18 Nor earth, nor seas, nor sun, nor stars,
Nor heaven his full resemblance bears;
His beauties we can never trace,
Till we behold him face to face.


Hymn 1:147.
The names and titles of Christ, from several scriptures.

1 ['Tis from the treasures of his word
I borrow titles for my Lord?
Nor art, nor nature can supply
Sufficient forms of majesty.

2 Bright image of the Father's face,
Shining with undiminish'd rays;
Th' eternal God's eternal Son,
The heir, and partner of his throne.]

3 The King of kings, the Lord most high,
Writes his own Name upon his thigh:
He wears a garment dipt in blood,
And breaks the nations with his rod.

4 Where grace can neither melt nor move
The Lamb resents his injur'd love,
Awakes his wrath without delay,
And Judah's Lion tears the prey.

5 But when for works of peace he comes,
What winning titles he assumes!
"Light of the World, and Life of Men;"
Nor bears those characters in vain.

6 With tender pity in his heart
He acts the Mediator's part;
A friend and brother he appears,
And well fulfils the names he wears.

7 At length the Judge his throne ascends,
Divides the rebels from his friends,
And saints in full fruition prove
His rich variety of love.


Hymn 1:148. As the 148th Psalm.
The same.

1 [With cheerful voice I sing
The titles of my Lord,
And borrow all the names
Of honour from his word:
Nature and art
Can ne'er supply
Sufficient forms
Of majesty.

2 In Jesus we behold
His Father's glorious face,
Shining for ever bright
With mild and lovely rays:
Th' eternal God's
Eternal Son
Inherits and
Partakes the throne.]

3 The sovereign King of kings,
The Lord of lords most high,
Writes his own name upon
His garment and his thigh:
His Name is call'd
"The Word of God;"
He rules the earth
With iron rod.

4 Where promises and grace
Can neither melt nor move,
The angry Lamb resents
The injuries of his love;
Awakes his wrath
Without delay,
As lions roar
And tear the prey.

5 But when for works of peace
The great Redeemer comes,
What gentle characters,
What titles he assumes!
"Light of the world,
"And Life of men"
Nor will he bear
Those names in vain.

6 Immense compassion reigns
In our Immanuel's heart,
When he descends to act
A Mediator's part:
He is a friend
And brother too
Divinely kind,
Divinely true.

7 At length the Lord the Judge
His awful throne ascends,
And drives the rebels far
From favourites and friends:
Then shall the saints
Completely prove
The heights and depths
Of all his love.


Hymn 1:149.
The offices of Christ, from several scriptures.

1 Join all the names of love and power
That ever men or angels bore;
All are too mean to speak his worth,
Or set Immanuel's glory forth.

2 But O what condescending ways
He takes to teach his heavenly grace!
My eyes with joy and wonder see
What forms of love he bears for me.

3 [The "Angel of the covenant" stands
With his commission in his hands,
Sent from his Father's milder throne,
To make the great Salvation known.]

4 Great Prophet let me bless thy Name;
By thee the joyful tidings came,
Of wrath appeas'd, of sins forgiven,
Of hell subdu'd, and peace with heaven.]

5 [My bright Example, and my Guide,
I would be walking near thy side;
O let me never run astray,
Nor follow the forbidden way!]

6 [I love my Shepherd, he shall keep
My wandering soul among his sheep:
He feeds his flock, he calls their names,
And in his bosom bears the lambs.]

7 [My surety undertakes my cause,
Answering his Father's broken laws;
Behold my soul at freedom set;
My surety paid the dreadful debt.]

8 [Jesus, my great High Priest has dy'd,
I seek no sacrifice beside;
His blood did once for all atone,
And now it pleads before the throne.]

9 [My advocate appears on high,
The Father lays his thunder by;
Not all that earth or hell can say,
Shall turn my Father's heart away.]

10 [My Lord, my Conqu'ror and my King,
Thy sceptre and thy sword I sing;
Thine is the victory, and I sit
A joyful subject at thy feet.]

11 [Aspire my soul, to glorious deeds,
The "Captain of salvation" leads;
March on, nor fear to win the day,
Tho' death and hell obstruct the way.

12 Should death and hell, and powers unknown
Put all their forms of mischief on,
I shall be safe; for Christ displays
Salvation in more sovereign ways.]


Hymn 1:150. As the 149th Psalm.
The same.

1 Join all the glorious names
Of wisdom, love, and power,
That ever mortals knew,
That angels ever bore:
All are too mean
To speak his worth,
Too mean to set
My Saviour forth.

2 But O what gentle terms,
What condescending ways
Doth our Redeemer use
To teach his heavenly grace!
Mine eyes with joy
And wonder see
What forms of love
He bears for me.

3 [Array'd in mortal flesh
He like an angel stands,
And holds the promises
And pardons in his hands:
Commission'd from
His Father's throne
To make his grace
To mortals known.]

4 [Great Prophet of my God,
My tongue would bless thy Name;
By thee the joyful news
Of our salvation came.
The joyful news
Of sins forgiven,
Of hell subdu'd,
And peace with heaven.]

5 [Be thou my counsellor,
My pattern and my guide,
And thro' this desert land
Still keep me near thy side:
O let my feet
Ne'er run astray,
Nor rove nor seek
The crooked way.]

6 [I love my Shepherd's voice,
His watchful eyes shall keep
My wandering soul among
The thousands of his sheep:
He feeds his flock,
He calls their names,
His bosom bears
The tender lambs.]

7 [To this dear surety's hand
Will I commit my cause;
He answers and fulfils
His Father's broken laws:
Behold my soul
At freedom set!
My surety paid
The dreadful debt.]

8 [Jesus my great high Priest
Offer'd his blood and dy'd;
My guilty conscience seeks
No sacrifice beside:
His powerful blood
Did once atone;
And now it pleads
Before the throne.]

9 [My Advocate appears
For my defence on high,
The Father bows his ear,
And lays his thunder by:
Not all that hell
Or sin can say
Shall turn his heart,
His love away.]

10 [My dear Almighty Lord,
My Conqu'ror and my King,
Thy sceptre and thy sword,
Thy reigning grace I sing:
Thine is the power;
Behold I sit
In willing bonds
Before thy feet.]

11 [Now let my soul arise,
And tread the tempter down
My captain leads me forth
To conquest and a crown.
A feeble saint
Shall win the day,
Tho' death and hell
Obstruct the way.]

12 Should all the hosts of death,
And powers of hell unknown,
Put their most dreadful forms
Of rage and mischief on;
I shall be safe,
For Christ displays
Superior power,
And guardian grace.


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