Advent 2024: Sat 14 Dec
Isaac Watts and the accidental carol
Isaac Watts was one of our great hymn-writers. When I Survey the Wondrous Cross: are there finer words found in a hymn? Our God, our help in ages past; Jesus shall reign where'er the sun doth his successive journeys run, and many more.
He wrote a hymn as a paraphrase of Psalm 98:
Psalm 98
3b All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
4 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
5 Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody!
6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD!
7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who dwell in it!
8 Let the rivers clap their hands;
let the hills sing for joy together
9 before the LORD, for he comes
to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.
Can you see what he made of it?
Joy to the world, the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare him room And heaven and nature sing!
And heaven and nature sing!
Joy to the earth, the Saviour reigns!
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy!
[Here Watts pulls in Genesis 3 – the curse, but this verse is usually omitted]
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make his blessings flow
Far as the curse is found!
He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness
And wonders of his love!
There is no mention of the Nativity, as this hymn was never intended as a Christmas hymn, yet it is a firm favourite at Carol Services. Watts expresses the Kingship and reign of our Saviour with Second Coming assurance. What a great Advent hymn!
https://youtu.be/-Xo64Q2ucQ8?si=crR3KfsCoTcftGxB
Paul