“O God, Our Help in Ages Past”
Isaac Watts 1674-1748

Isaac Watts was born on July 17, 1674, in England. Isaac was the oldest of 9 children and was known for his strong intellect. Isaac had a love of poetry and languages. He learned Latin when he was 4, Greek when he was 9, French when he was 10, and Hebrew when he was 13.

Isaac was born into a non-conformist family (known as the Dissenters¹. The Watt’s family was known for their dissenting views and opposition of the Church of England. The Watt’s family faced many difficulties for their faithfulness, including Mr. Watt’s being imprisoned.

Isaac’s parents were not the only ones who held this view; Isaac himself held strongly to these convictions. Isaac’s father’s imprisonment did not weaken Isaac’s resolve but only worked to strengthen his convictions. At the age of 16 Isaac was offered a full university scholarship but was not allowed to attend university because he was a dissenter. Isaac was ostracized for his views. He then attended a dissenter college.

Isaac became known as the Father of Hymns. Before Watts, the church mainly sang the Psalms. Watts found the music of most churches to be dry and uninspired. He argued ‘that singing only metrical Psalms confines Christian worshippers to Old Testament expressions and does not allow their New Testament fulfillment to be proclaimed.”²

Watts was a pastor and hymn writer penning some 750 hymns. Some of his most famous hymns are:

  • Joy to the World (Psalm 98)
  • When I Survey the Wonderous Cross
  • O God, Our Help in Ages Past (Psalm 90)
  • Alas and Did My Savior Bleed
  • I Sing the Mighty Power of God
  • Jesus Shall Reign (Psalm 72)
  • Come We That Love the Lord

Our Hymn for the month of October is:

O God, Our Help in Ages Past
(Hymns of Grace Page 55)
Isaac Watts

O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.

Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.

A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.

O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while life shall last,
And our eternal home.

 

For further study…
Watch the Essential Church

 

¹ Dissenters, also known as English Separatists or Non-Conformists, were those who broke away from the Church of England and the position that the king is the head of the church and that the State could dictate matters pertaining to the church. In 1662 The Great Ejection took place, where 2000 ministers were ejected from their pulpits for refusing to conform to The Act of Uniformity, which referred to laws in England that sought to regulate worship. The Act mandated the use of the Book of Common Prayer, even imposing penalties for not complying with the Act.

² Concordia Publishing House