Book 1 · Hymns 31–40

Hymns and Spiritual Songs · Isaac Watts

Hymn 1:31. [Supplement.] The hidden life of a Christian, Col. 3. 3.

1 O happy soul that lives on high;
While men lie grovelling here!
His hopes are fix'd above the sky,
And faith forbids his fear.

2 His conscience knows no secret stings,
While peace and joy combine
To form a life whose holy springs
Are hidden and divine.

3 He waits in secret on his God;
His God in secret sees:
Let earth be all in arms abroad,
He dwells in heavenly peace.

4 His pleasures rise from things unseen,
Beyond this world and time,
Where neither eyes nor ears have been,
Nor thoughts of sinners climb.

5 He wants no pomp nor royal throne
To raise his figure here;
Content and pleas'd to live unknown,
Till Christ his life appear.

6 He looks to heaven's eternal hill
To meet that glorious day:
But patient waits his Saviour's will
To fetch his soul away.

Hymn 1:32. Strength from heaven, Isa. 40. 27-30.

1 Whence do our mournful thoughts arise?
And where's our courage fled?
Has restless sin and raging hell
Struck all our comforts dead?

2 Have we forgot th' almighty Name
That form'd the earth and sea?
And can an all-creating arm
Grow weary or decay?

3 Treasures of everlasting might
In our Jehovah dwell;
He gives the conquest to the weak,
And treads their foes to hell.

4 Mere mortal power shall fade and die,
And youthful vigour cease;
But we that wait upon the Lord
Shall feel our strength increase.

5 The saints shall mount on eagles' wings
And taste the promis'd bliss,
Till their unwearied feet arrive
Where perfect pleasure is.

Hymn 1:33. [Supplement.] The gospel the power of God to salvation, Rom. 1. 16. 1 Cor. 1. 18 24.

1 What shall the dying sinner do
That seeks relief for all his woe?
Where shall the guilty conscience find
Ease for the torment of the mind?

2 How shall we get our crimes forgiven,
Or form our natures fit for heaven?
Can souls all o'er defil'd with sin
Make their own powers and passions clean?

3 In vain we search, in vain we try,
Till Jesus bring his gospel nigh;
'Tis there such power and glory dwell
As saves rebellious souls from hell.

4 This is the pillar of our hope
That bears our fainting spirits up;
We read the grace, we trust the word,
And find salvation in the Lord.

5 Let men or angels dig the mines
Where nature's golden treasure shines,
Brought near the doctrine of the cross
All nature's gold appears but dross.

6 Should vile blasphemers with disdain
Pronounce the truths of Jesus vain,
I'll meet the scandal and the shame,
And sing and triumph in his Name.

Hymn 1:34. [Supplement.] None excluded from hope, Rom. 1. 16. 1 Cor. 1. 24.

1 Jesus, thy blessings are not few,
Nor is thy gospel weak;
Thy grace can melt the stubborn Jew,
And bow th' aspiring Greek.

2 Wide as the reach of Satan's rage
Doth thy salvation flow;
'Tis not confin'd to sex or age,
The lofty or the low.

3 While grace is offer'd to the prince,
The poor may take their share;
No mortal has a just pretence
To perish in despair.

4 Be wise, ye men of strength and wit,
Nor boast your native powers;
But to his sovereign grace submit,
And glory shall be yours.

5 Come, all ye vilest sinners come,
He'll form your souls anew:
His gospel and his heart have room
For rebels such as you.

6 His doctrine is almighty love;
There's virtue in his Name
To turn the raven to a dove,
The lion to a lamb.

Hymn 1:35. [Supplement.] Truth, sincerity, &c. Phil. 4. 8.

1 Let those who bear the Christian name
Their holy vows fulfil:
The saints, the followers of the Lamb,
Are men of honour still.

2 True to the solemn oath they take,
Tho' to their hurt they swear;
Constant and just to all they speak,
For God and angels hear.

3 Still with their lips their hearts agree,
Nor flattering words devise,
They know the God of truth can see
Thro' every false disguise.

4 They hate th' appearance of a lie
In all the shapes it wears;
They live the truth; and, when they die,
Eternal life is theirs.

5 While hypocrites and liars fly
Before the Judge's frown,
His faithful friends, who fear a lie,
Receive th' immortal crown.

Hymn 1:36. [Supplement.] A lovely carriage.

1 O 'tis a lovely thing to see
A man of prudent heart,
Whose thoughts, and lips, and life agree
To act a useful part.

2 When envy, strife, and wars begin,
In little angry souls,
Mark how the sons of peace come in,
And quench the kindling coals.

3 Their minds are humble, mild, and meek,
Nor let their fury rise;
Nor passion moves their lips to speak,
Nor pride exalts their eyes.

4 Their frame is prudence mix'd with love,
Good works fulfil their day:
They join the serpent with the dove,
But cast the sting away.

5 Such was the Saviour of mankind;
Such pleasures he pursu'd;
His flesh and blood were all refin'd,
His soul divinely good.

6 Lord, can these plants of virtue grow
In such a heart as mine?
Thy grace my nature can renew,
And make my soul like thine.

Hymn 1:37. [Supplement.] Zeal and Fortitude.

1 Do I believe what Jesus saith,
And think the gospel true?
Lord, make me bold to own my faith,
And practise virtue too.

2 Suppress my shame, subdue my fear,
Arm me with heavenly zeal,
That I may make thy power appear,
And works of praise fulfil.

3 If men shall see my virtue shine,
And spread my name abroad,
Thine is the power, the praise is thine,
My Saviour and my God.

4 Thus when the saints in glory meet,
Their lips proclaim thy grace;
They cast their honours at thy feet,
And own their borrow'd rays.

PAUSE.

5 Are we the soldiers of the cross?
The followers of the Lamb?
And shall we fear to own his cause,
Or blush to speak his name?

6 Now we must fight, if we would reign;
Increase our courage, Lord!
We'll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by thy word.

7 Thy saints in all this glorious war
Shall Conquer tho' they're slain;
They see the triumph from afar,
And shall with Jesus reign.

8 When that illustrious day shall rise,
And all thy armies shine
In robes of victory thro' the skies,
The glory shall be thine.

Hymn 1:38. [Supplement.] The universal law of equity. Matt. 8. 12.

1 Blessed Redeemer how divine,
How righteous is this rule of thine,
"To do to all men just the same
"As we expect or wish from them."

2 This golden lesson, short and plain,
Gives not the mind nor memory pain;
And every conscience must approve
This universal law of love.

3 How blest would every nation be,
Thus rul'd by love and equity!
All would be friends without a foe,
And form a paradise below.

4 Jesus, forgive us, that we keep
Thy sacred law of love asleep,
No more let envy, wrath, and pride,
But thy blest maxims be our guide.

Hymn 1:39. God's tender care of his church, Isa. 13 &c.

1 How shall my inward joys arise
And burst into a song,
Almighty love inspires my heart,
And pleasure tunes my tongue.

2 God on his thirsty Sion-hill
Some mercy-drops has thrown,
And solemn oaths have bound his love
To shower salvation down.

3 Why do we then indulge our fears,
Suspicions and complaints?
Is he a God, and shall his grace
Grow weary of his saints?

4 Can a kind woman e'er forget
The infant of her womb,
And 'mongst a thousand tender thoughts
Her suckling have no room?

5 "Yet (saith the Lord) should nature change,
"And mothers monsters prove,
"Sion still dwells upon the heart
"Of everlasting love.

6 "Deep on the palms of both my hands
"I have engrav'd her name,
"My hands shall raise her ruin'd walls,
"And build her broken frame."

Hymn 1:40. The business and blessedness of glorified saints, Rev. 7. 13 &c.

1 "What happy men, or angels these
"That all their robes are spotless white?
"Whence did this glorious troop arrive
"At the pure realms of heavenly light?"

2 From tort'ring racks and burning fires,
And seas of their own blood they came;
But nobler blood has wash'd their robes,
Flowing from Christ the dying Lamb.

3 Now they approach th' almighty throne,
With loud hosannas night and day,
Sweet anthems to the great Three One
Measure their blest eternity.

4 No more shall hunger pain their souls,
He bids their parching thirst be gone,
And spreads the shadow of his wings
To screen them from the scorching sun.

5 The Lamb that fills the middle throne
Shall shed around his milder beams,
There shall they feast on his rich love,
And drink full joys from living streams.

6 Thus shall their mighty bliss renew
Thro' the vast round of endless years,
And the soft hand of sovereign grace
Heals all their wounds, and wipes their tears.

‹ Previous · Next ›