Sing to the Lord with joyful voice. I. Watts. [ Ps. c] First published in his Psalms of David, &c, 1719, p. 256, in 6 stanzas of 4 lines. In this form its use in modern collections is limited; that which has attained to the greatest popularity being—-"Before Jehovah's awful throne." This arrangement is by J. Wesley, and was first published in his Psalms & Hymns, at Charlestown, U.S.A., in 1736-7, p. 5, and repeated in J. & C. Wesley's Psalms & Hymns, 1741, p. 74: the Wesleyan Hymn Book in 1797, as the first of the "Additional Hymns," and the revised edition of 1875. Modern collections of the Church of England have received it through Madan's Psalms & Hymns1760, Toplady's Psalms & Hymns, 1776, and others of the last century. It consists of Watts, as follows, with alterations thus: st. i., Watts's st. ii. altered, by J..Wesley, to:—
”Before Jehovah's awful throne
Ye nations bow with sacred joy."
St. ii. Watts's st, iii. unaltered. St. iii. Watts's st. v. unaltered. St. iv. Watts's st. vi. altered, by an unknown hand, for the "Additional Hymns." added to the Wesleyan Hymn Book, after Wesley's death, in 1797, thus :—-"Firm as a rock Thy truth shall stand." In this last form this hymn is known in all English-speaking countries, and hns been translated into many languages. A Latin translation by R. Bingham, in his Hymnologia Christiana Latina, 1871, begins, "Ante! Jehovae tremendum."
-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
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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