Hark, how the adoring hosts above

Representative Text

1 Hark how the adoring hosts above,
with songs surround the throne!
Ten thousand, thousand are their tongues;
but all their hearts are one.

2 Worthy the Lamb that died, they cry,
to be exalted thus;
worthy the Lamb, let us reply;
for he was slain for us.

3 Thou hast redeemed us with thy blood,
and set the prisoners free;
thou mad'st us kings and priests to God,
and we shall reign with thee.

4 From every kindred, every tongue,
thou brought'st thy chosen race;
and distant lands and isles have shared
the riches of thy grace.

5 To him who sits upon the throne,
the God whom we adore,
and to the Lamb that once was slain,
be glory evermore.

Source: Hymns of Glory, Songs of Praise #744

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Author: Iisaac Watts

Isaac Watts was the son of a schoolmaster, and was born in Southampton, July 17, 1674. He is said to have shown remarkable precocity in childhood, beginning the study of Latin, in his fourth year, and writing respectable verses at the age of seven. At the age of sixteen, he went to London to study in the Academy of the Rev. Thomas Rowe, an Independent minister. In 1698, he became assistant minister of the Independent Church, Berry St., London. In 1702, he became pastor. In 1712, he accepted an invitation to visit Sir Thomas Abney, at his residence of Abney Park, and at Sir Thomas' pressing request, made it his home for the remainder of his life. It was a residence most favourable for his health, and for the prosecution of his literary… Go to person page >

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First Line:	Hark, how the adoring hosts above
Author:	Iisaac Watts (alt.)
Meter:	8.6.8.6
Source:	Scottish Paraphrase
Language:	English
Publication Date:	1918
Copyright:	Public Domain

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Tune

ST. MAGNUS (Clarke)

ST. MAGNUS first appeared in Henry Playford's Divine Companion (1707 ed.) as an anonymous tune with soprano and bass parts. The tune was later credited to Jeremiah Clark (b. London, England, c. 1670; d. London, 1707), who was a chorister in the Chapel Royal and sang at the coronation of James II in…

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RICHMOND (Haweis)

RICHMOND (also known as CHESTERFIELD) is a florid tune originally written by Thomas Haweis (PHH 270) and published in his collection Carmina Christo (1792). Samuel Webbe, Jr., adapted and shortened the tune and published it in his Collection of Psalm Tunes (1808). It was reprinted in 1853 in Webbe's…

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NATIVITY (Lahee)

Henry Lahee (b. Chelsea, London, England, 1826; d. Croydon, London, 1912) composed NATIVITY, which was first published in 1855 and set to a nativity hymn (thus the tune's title), "High let us swell our tuneful notes," by Philip Doddridge (PsH 335). Because NATIVITY was published with Isaac Watts' (P…

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