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Psalm 125
Author: Isaac Watts Meter: 8.6.8.6 Appears in 147 hymnals Scripture: Psalm 125 First Line: Unshaken as the sacred hill Lyrics:
Unshaken as the sacred hill,
And firm as mountains be,
Firm as a rock the soul shall rest
That leans, O Lord, on thee.
Not walls nor hills could guard so well
Old Salem's happy ground,
As those eternal arms of love
That every saint surround.
While tyrants are a smarting scourge
To drive them near to God,
Divine compassion does allay
The fury of the rod.
Deal gently, Lord, with souls sincere,
And lead them safely on
To the bright gates of Paradise,
Where Christ their Lord is gone.
But if we trace those crooked ways
That the old serpent drew,
The wrath that drove him first to hell
Shall smite his followers too.
Topics: Grace tried by afflictions; Saints tried and preserved; Trial of our graces by afflictions; Afflictions moderated; Saints afflictions moderated
Psalm 125
Zion Stands by Hills Surrounded
Author: Thomas Kelly Meter: 8.7.8.7.4.7 D Appears in 397 hymnals Scripture: Psalm 125:2 Lyrics: 1 Zion stands by hills surrounded,
Zion, kept by pow'r divine;
all her foes shall be confounded,
though the world in arms combine.
Happy Zion, what a favored lot is thine!
Happy Zion, what a favored lot is thine!
2 Ev'ry human tie may perish;
friend to friend unfaithful prove;
mothers cease their own to cherish;
heav'n and earth at last remove;
but no changes can attend Jehovah's love,
but no changes can attend Jehovah's love.
3 In the furnace God may prove thee,
thence to bring thee forth more bright,
but can never cease to love thee;
thou art precious in his sight.
God is with thee - God, thine everlasting light,
God is with thee - God, thine everlasting light.
Topics: The Church The Church of Christ; Church Covenant People; Church Security of; God Faithfulness of; God Immutability of; God Love and Grace of Used With Tune: ZION
Zion Stands by Hills Surrounded
Psalm 125
Author: Isaac Watts Meter: 6.6.8.6 Appears in 61 hymnals Scripture: Psalm 125 First Line: Firm and unmoved are they Lyrics:
Firm and unmoved are they
That rest their souls on God;
Firm as the mount where David dwelt,
Or where the ark abode.
As mountains stood to guard
The city's sacred ground,
So God and his almighty love
Embrace his saints around.
What though the Father's rod
Drop a chastising stroke,
Yet, lest it wound their souls too deep,
Its fury shall be broke.
Deal gently, Lord, with those
Whose faith and pious fear,
Whose hope, and love, and every grace,
Proclaim their hearts sincere.
Nor shall the tyrant's rage
Too long oppress the saint;
The God of Isr'el will support
His children lest they faint.
But if our slavish fear
Will choose the road to hell,
We must expect our portion there,
Where bolder sinners dwell.
Topics: Grace tried by afflictions; Saints tried and preserved; Trial of our graces by afflictions; Afflictions moderated; Saints afflictions moderated
Psalm 125
ST. ANDREW
Meter: 8.6.8.6 Appears in 100 hymnals Scripture: Psalm 125 Tune Key: G Major Incipit: 13323 21713 5432 Used With Text: They in the Lord that firmly trust
ST. ANDREW
SOLID ROCK
Meter: 8.8.8.8 with refrain Appears in 485 hymnals Composer and/or Arranger: William B. Bradbury, 1816-1868 Scripture: Psalm 125:1 Tune Key: F Major Incipit: 51353 32234 44217 Used With Text: My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less
SOLID ROCK
"Glorious things"
Author: John Newton Hymnal: Laudes Domini #493 (1888) Scripture: Psalm 125:2 First Line: Glorious things of thee are spoken Lyrics: 1 Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God!
He, whose word cannot be broken,
Formed thee for his own abode:
On the Rock of Ages founded,
What can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
Thou may'st smile at all thy foes.
2 See! the streams of living waters,
Springing from eternal love,
Well supply thy sons and daughters,
And all fear of want remove:
Who can faint, while such a river
Ever flows their thirst to assuage?--
Grace, which, like the Lord, the Giver,
Never fails from age to age.
3 Round each habitation hovering,
See the cloud and fire appear
For a glory and a covering,
Showing that the Lord is near!
Thus deriving from their banner,
Light by night, and shade by day,
Safe they feed upon the manna
Which he gives them when they pray. Topics: Christ Corner-stone; Christ Rock of Ages; Church Institutions of; Communion of Saints At Lord's Table; Corner-Stone Languages: English Tune Title: FORMOSA
"Glorious things"
My Hope Is Built (Mi esperanza firme está)
Author: Edward Mote, 1797-1874; Juan N. de los Santos, 1876-1944; María Eugenia Cornou, b. 1969; Dianne Zandstra, b. 1952 Hymnal: Santo, Santo, Santo #324 (2019) Meter: 8.8.8.8 with refrain Scripture: Psalm 125:1 First Line: My hope is built on nothing less (Mi esperanza firme está) Refrain First Line: On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand (Jesús será mi protección) Topics: Confianza; Trust; Esperanza; Hope; Faith; Fe; Jesucristo Vida en; Jesus Christ Life In Languages: English; Spanish Tune Title: SOLID ROCK
My Hope Is Built (Mi esperanza firme está)
My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less
Author: Edward Mote Hymnal: Glory to God #353 (2013) Meter: 8.8.8.8 with refrain Scripture: Psalm 125:1 Refrain First Line: On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand Lyrics: 1 My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus' name.
Refrain:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand;
all other ground is sinking sand.
2 When darkness seems to hide his face,
I rest on his unchanging grace;
in every high and stormy gale,
my anchor holds within the veil. [Refrain]
3 His oath, his covenant, his blood
support me in the whelming flood;
when all around my soul gives way,
he then is all my hope and stay. [Refrain]
4 When he shall come with trumpet sound,
O may I then in him be found,
dressed in his righteousness alone,
faultless to stand before the throne. [Refrain] Topics: Atonement; Christ's Return and Judgment; Grace; Hope; Jesus Christ Advent; Trusting in the Promises of God Languages: English Tune Title: SOLID ROCK
My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less
Thomas Kelly
1769 - 1855 Scripture: Psalm 125:2 Author of "Zion Stands by Hills Surrounded" in Trinity Hymnal (Rev. ed.) Kelly, Thomas, B.A., son of Thomas Kelly, a Judge of the Irish Court of Common Pleas, was born in Dublin, July 13, 1769, and educated at Trinity College, Dublin. He was designed for the Bar, and entered the Temple, London, with that intention; but having undergone a very marked spiritual change he took Holy Orders in 1792. His earnest evangelical preaching in Dublin led Archbishop Fowler to inhibit him and his companion preacher, Rowland Hill, from preaching in the city. For some time he preached in two unconsecrated buildings in Dublin, Plunket Street, and the Bethesda, and then, having seceded from the Established Church, he erected places of worship at Athy, Portarlington, Wexford, &c, in which he conducted divine worship and preached. He died May 14, 1854. Miller, in his Singers & Songs of the Church, 1869, p. 338 (from which some of the foregoing details are taken), says:—
"Mr. Kelly was a man of great and varied learning, skilled in the Oriental tongues, and an excellent Bible critic. He was possessed also of musical talent, and composed and published a work that was received witli favour, consisting of music adapted to every form of metre in his hymn-book. Naturally of an amiable disposition and thorough in his Christian piety, Mr. Kelly became the friend of good men, and the advocate of every worthy, benevolent, and religious cause. He was admired alike for his zeal and his humility; and his liberality found ample scope in Ireland, especially during the year of famine."
Kelly's hymns, 765 in all, were composed and published over a period of 51 years, as follows:—
(1) A Collection of Psalms and Hymns extracted from Various Authors, by Thomas Kelly, A.B., Dublin, 1802. This work contains 247 hymns by various authors, and an Appendix of 33 original hymns by Kelly.
(2) Hymns on Various Passages of Scripture, Dublin, 1804. Of this work several editions were published: 1st, 1804; 2nd, 1806; 3rd, 1809; 4th, 1812. This last edition was published in two divisions, one as Hymns on Various Passages of Scripture, and the second as Hymns adapted for Social Worship. In 1815 Kelly issued Hymns by Thomas Kelly, not before Published. The 5th edition, 1820, included the two divisions of 1812, and the new hymns of 1815, as one work. To the later editions of 1820, 1826, 1836, 1840, 1846, and 1853, new hymns were added, until the last published by M. Moses, of Dublin, 1853, contained the total of 765.
As a hymn-writer Kelly was most successful. As a rule his strength appears in hymns of Praise and in metres not generally adopted by the older hymn writers. His "Come, see the place where Jesus lay" (from "He's gone, see where His body lay"),"From Egypt lately come"; “Look, ye saints, the sight is glorious"; "On the mountain's top appearing"; "The Head that once was crowned with thorns"; "Through the day Thy love has spared us"; and “We sing the praise of Him Who died," rank with the first hymns in the English language. Several of his hymns of great merit still remain unknown through so many modern editors being apparently adverse to original investigation. In addition to the hymns named and others, which are annotated under their respective first lines, the following are also in common use:—
i. From the Psalms and Hymns, 1802:—
1. Grant us, Lord, Thy gracious presence. Commencement of Divine Worship.
2. Jesus, Immortal King, go on [display]. Missions.
3. Saviour, through the desert lead us. Divine Guidance Desired.
4. The day of rest once more [again] comes round. Sunday.
5. We've no abiding city here. Seeking Heaven.
ii. From the Hymns on Varous Passages of Scripture, first edition, 1804 :—
6. Boundless glory, Lord, be thine. Praise for the Gospel.
7. By whom shall Jacob now arise? Epiphany.
8. Glory, glory to our King. Praise to Christ as King.
9. How pleasant is the sound of praise. Praise for Redemption.
10. How sweet to leave the world awhile. In Retirement, or For a Retreat.
11. Inform I long had bowed the knee. Jesus, the Saviour, or Praise for Salvation.
12. It is finished! sinners, hear it. Good Friday.
13. Jesus, the Shepherd of the sheep. The Good Shepherd.
14. Let reason vainly boast her power. Death.
15. Poor and afflicted, Lord, are Thine. Affliction.
16. Praise we Him to Whose kind favour. Close of Service.
11. Spared a little longer. Safety in God.
18. Stricken, smitten, and afflicted. Passiontide.
ii. From the Hymns, &c, second edition, 1806:—
19. Far from us be grief and sadness. Joy of Believers.
20. Give us room that we may dwell. Missions.
21. Glory, glory everlasting. Praise of Jesus.
22. God has.turned my grief to gladness. Joy after Sorrow.
23. Happy they who trust in Jesus. Peace in Jesus.
24. Hark, the notes of angels singing. Angels praising Jesus.
25. Hark! 'tis a martial sound. Christian Life a Warfare.
26. I hear a sound [voice] that comes from far. The Gospel Message.
27. Jesus is gone up on high. Divine Worship.
28. Now [O] may the Gospel's conquering power. Home Missions. In the 1853 edition of the Hymns it begins “O may the Gospel's conqu'ring force."
29. O Zion, when I think on thee. Desiring Heaven.
30. Praise the Saviour, ye who know Him. Praise of Jesus.
31. See from Zion's sacred mountain. The Fountain of Life.
32. The atoning work is done. Jesus the High Priest.
33. Zion is Jehovah's dwelling. The Church of God.
34. Zion stands by hills surrounded. The Safety of the Church.
35. Zion's King shall reign victorious. Missions.
iv. From the Hymns, &c, 3rd edition, 1809:—
36. Behold the Temple of the Lord. The Church a Spiritual Temple.
37. Blessed Fountain, full of grace. Fountain for Sin.
38. Brethren, come, our Saviour bids us. Holy Communion.
39. Fly, ye seasons, fly still faster. Second Advent Desired.
40. God of Israel, we adore Thee. Evening.
41. Gracious Lord, my heart is fixed. Trust and Peace.
42. Hark, a voice! it comes from heaven. Death.
43. Hark, that shout of rapt'rous joy. Second Advent.
44. If our warfare be laborious. Labour and Rest .
45. Lo, He comes, let all adore Him. Missions.
46. Nothing know we of the season. Time of Second Advent uncertain.
47. O had I the wings of a dove. Holiness and Heaven desired.
48. O where is now that glowing love. Despondency.
49. Our Father sits on yonder throne. God the Father.
50. Ours is a rich and royal Feast. Holy Communion.
51. Shepherd of the chosen number. Safety in the
Good Shepherd.
52. We're bound for yonder land. Life, a Voyage.
53. Welcome sight! the Lord descending. The Advent.
54. What is life? 'tis but a vapour. Death anticipated.
55. Who is this that comes from Edom? Ascension.
56. Why those fears ? Behold 'tis Jesus. Stilling the Sea.
57. Without blood is no remission. Passiontide.
58. Yes, we trust the day is breaking. Missions.
v. FromHymns: Not before Published, 1815:—
59. Behold the Lamb with glory crowned. Exaltation of Christ.
60. God is love, His word has said it. God is Love.
61. God of our salvation, hear us. Opening or Close of Divine Worship.
62. In Thy Name, O Lord, assembling. Commencement of Divine Worship.
63. Keep us, Lord, O [and] keep us ever. Divine Worship.
64. Let sinners saved give thanks, and sing. Praise for Salvation.
65. Praise the Lord Who died to save us. Passiontide.
66. Salvation is of God alone. God the Author of Salvation.
67. Saviour, come, Thy [saints] friends await Thee [are waiting] . Second Advent desired.
68. Sweet were the sounds that reached our ears. Divine Mercy.
69. We'll sing of the Shepherd that died. The Lost Sheep.
70. When we cannot see our way. Trust and Peace.
71. Who is this that calms the ocean? Stilling the Sea.
vi. From the Hymns on F. Passages of Scripture, &c, eds. 1820 and 1826 :-—
72. Grace is the sweetest sound. Divine Grace.
73. Now let a great effectual door. Missions.
74. Now may the mighty arm awake. Missions.
75. Now may the Spirit from above. Home Missions.
76. Sing, sing His lofty praise. Praise of Jesus.
77. Sound, 6ound the truth abroad. Missions.
78. Speed Thy servants, Saviour, speed them. Departure of Missionaries.
vii. From the Hymns on Various Passages, &c, 1836:—
79. Come, O Lord, the heavens rending. Prayer for Blessings.
80. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. The Second Advent.
viii. From the Hymns on Various Passages, &c, circa 1845:—
81. Joyful be the hours today. Sunday.
82. Lord, behold us few and weak. Opening of Divine Service.
83. Meet Thy people, Saviour, meet us. Meetings for Prayer.
84. Saviour, send a blessing to us. Prayer for Blessings.
85. Sing of Jesus, sing for ever. Praise of Jesus.
ix. From the Hymns on Various Passages, &c, 1853:—
86. Precious volume, what thou doest. Holy Scripture.
87. Unfold to us, O Lord, unfold. Divine aid to reading Holy Scripture.
All these hymns, together with those annotated under their respective first lines are in the 1853 edition of Kelly's Hymns published in Dublin by M. Moses, and in London by Simpkin, Marshall & Co. Kelly's musical editions are issued by the same publishers.
-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
==================
Kelly, Thomas, p. 615, i. Other hymns in common use are:
1. Behold the Man! How glorious He. (1809.) Good Friday.
2. Jesus the [Thou] Shepherd of the Sheep. (1804.) Good Shepherd.
3. Saved ourselves by Jesu's blood. (1802.) For a Revival.
4. Saviour, 'tis to [unto] Thee. (1853*.) Lent.
5. See the vineyard lately planted. (1806.) Missions. Sometimes given as "See, O Lord, the vineyard planted."
6. Sing aloud to God our strength. (1809.) Praise to the Father.
7. Sing, sing His lofty praise. (1820.) Praise to Jesus. Sometimes as "Hail our eternal King" (p. 615, No. 76).
8. Sing of Him Who bore our guilt. (1853*.) Praise to Jesus.
9. Sing we praise to God above, God our Saviour, &c. (1815.) Praise for Divine Mercy.
10. Sing we praise to God above, Sing we praise, &c. (1853*.) Praise.
11. Sons of Zion, raise your songs. (1820-26) The Exalted Saviour.
12. The Lord Himself will keep. (1809.) From “We're bound for yonder land" (sec p. 615, No. 52.)
13. The God [Lord] of glory dwells on high. (1809.) Humility and Love of Christ.
14. The people of the Lord Are on their way, &c. (1820.) Life a Pilgrimage.
15. Thus saith God of His Anointed. (1809.) Missions.
16. 'Tis to us no cause of sorrow. (1815.) Resignation.
17. To the Ark away, or perish. (1815.) Safety in Jesus only.
18. To our Lord a throne is given. (1838.) Christ the King.
19. Trust ye in the Lord for ever. (1853*.) Trust in God.
20. We'll sing in spite of scorn. (1806.) Christmas. From this "The long-expected morn" is taken.
21. What tongue can tell, what fancy paint. (1806.) Saints in Glory
22. What were Sinai's awful wonders. (1809.) Advent.
23. Whence those sounds symphonious? (1815.) Christmas.
24. While in the [this] world we still [yet] remain. (1806.) Communion of Saints.
25. Yes, 'tis a rough and thorny road. (1809.) Resignation. Sometimes given as "Though rough and thorny be the way."
The dates given above are those of the various editions of Kelly's Hymns. The date 1853* indicates that the hymn is in the 1853 ed. of the Hymns, but had also appeared in a previous edition which we have not seen.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)
Thomas Kelly
Isaac Watts
1674 - 1748 Scripture: Psalm 125 Author of "Psalm 125" in Psalms and Hymns of Isaac Watts, The 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 labours. He did not retire from ministerial duties, but preached as often as his delicate health would permit.
The number of Watts' publications is very large. His collected works, first published in 1720, embrace sermons, treatises, poems and hymns. His "Horae Lyricae" was published in December, 1705. His "Hymns" appeared in July, 1707. The first hymn he is said to have composed for religious worship, is "Behold the glories of the Lamb," written at the age of twenty. It is as a writer of psalms and hymns that he is everywhere known. Some of his hymns were written to be sung after his sermons, giving expression to the meaning of the text upon which he had preached. Montgomery calls Watts "the greatest name among hymn-writers," and the honour can hardly be disputed. His published hymns number more than eight hundred.
Watts died November 25, 1748, and was buried at Bunhill Fields. A monumental statue was erected in Southampton, his native place, and there is also a monument to his memory in the South Choir of Westminster Abbey. "Happy," says the great contemporary champion of Anglican orthodoxy, "will be that reader whose mind is disposed, by his verses or his prose, to imitate him in all but his non-conformity, to copy his benevolence to men, and his reverence to God." ("Memorials of Westminster Abbey," p. 325.)
--Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A., 1872.
=================================
Watts, Isaac, D.D. The father of Dr. Watts was a respected Nonconformist, and at the birth of the child, and during its infancy, twice suffered imprisonment for his religious convictions. In his later years he kept a flourishing boarding school at Southampton. Isaac, the eldest of his nine children, was born in that town July 17, 1674. His taste for verse showed itself in early childhood. He was taught Greek, Latin, and Hebrew by Mr. Pinhorn, rector of All Saints, and headmaster of the Grammar School, in Southampton. The splendid promise of the boy induced a physician of the town and other friends to offer him an education at one of the Universities for eventual ordination in the Church of England: but this he refused; and entered a Nonconformist Academy at Stoke Newington in 1690, under the care of Mr. Thomas Rowe, the pastor of the Independent congregation at Girdlers' Hall. Of this congregation he became a member in 1693.
Leaving the Academy at the age of twenty, he spent two years at home; and it was then that the bulk of the Hymns and Spiritual Songs (published 1707-9) were written, and sung from manuscripts in the Southampton Chapel. The hymn "Behold the glories of the Lamb" is said to have been the first he composed, and written as an attempt to raise the standard of praise. In answer to requests, others succeeded. The hymn "There is a land of pure delight" is said to have been suggested by the view across Southampton Water. The next six years of Watts's life were again spent at Stoke Newington, in the post of tutor to the son of an eminent Puritan, Sir John Hartopp; and to the intense study of these years must be traced the accumulation of the theological and philosophical materials which he published subsequently, and also the life-long enfeeblement of his constitution.
Watts preached his first sermon when he was twenty-four years old. In the next three years he preached frequently; and in 1702 was ordained pastor of the eminent Independent congregation in Mark Lane, over which Caryl and Dr. John Owen had presided, and which numbered Mrs. Bendish, Cromwell's granddaughter, Charles Fleetwood, Charles Desborough, Sir John Hartopp, Lady Haversham, and other distinguished Independents among its members. In this year he removed to the house of Mr. Hollis in the Minories. His health began to fail in the following year, and Mr. Samuel Price was appointed as his assistant in the ministry. In 1712 a fever shattered his constitution, and Mr. Price was then appointed co-pastor of the congregation which had in the meantime removed to a new chapel in Bury Street. It was at this period that he became the guest of Sir Thomas Abney, under whose roof, and after his death (1722) that of his widow, he remained for the rest of his suffering life; residing for the longer portion of these thirty-six years principally at the beautiful country seat of Theobalds in Herts, and for the last thirteen years at Stoke Newington. His degree of D.D. was bestowed on him in 1728, unsolicited, by the University of Edinburgh. His infirmities increased on him up to the peaceful close of his sufferings, Nov. 25, 1748. He was buried in the Puritan restingplace at Bunhill Fields, but a monument was erected to him in Westminster Abbey.
His learning and piety, gentleness and largeness of heart have earned him the title of the Melanchthon of his day. Among his friends, churchmen like Bishop Gibson are ranked with Nonconformists such as Doddridge. His theological as well as philosophical fame was considerable. His Speculations on the Human Nature of the Logos, as a contribution to the great controversy on the Holy Trinity, brought on him a charge of Arian opinions. His work on The Improvement of the Mind, published in 1741, is eulogised by Johnson. His Logic was still a valued textbook at Oxford within living memory. The World to Come, published in 1745, was once a favourite devotional work, parts of it being translated into several languages. His Catechisms, Scripture History (1732), as well as The Divine and Moral Songs (1715), were the most popular text-books for religious education fifty years ago. The Hymns and Spiritual Songs were published in 1707-9, though written earlier. The Horae Lyricae, which contains hymns interspersed among the poems, appeared in 1706-9. Some hymns were also appended at the close of the several Sermons preached in London, published in 1721-24. The Psalms were published in 1719. The earliest life of Watts is that by his friend Dr. Gibbons. Johnson has included him in his Lives of the Poets; and Southey has echoed Johnson's warm eulogy. The most interesting modern life is Isaac Watts: his Life and Writings, by E. Paxton Hood. [Rev. H. Leigh Bennett, M.A.]
A large mass of Dr. Watts's hymns and paraphrases of the Psalms have no personal history beyond the date of their publication. These we have grouped together here and shall preface the list with the books from which they are taken.
(l) Horae Lyricae. Poems chiefly of the Lyric kind. In Three Books Sacred: i.To Devotion and Piety; ii. To Virtue, Honour, and Friendship; iii. To the Memory of the Dead. By I. Watts, 1706. Second edition, 1709. (2) Hymns and Spiritual Songs. In Three Books: i. Collected from the Scriptures; ii. Composed on Divine Subjects; iii. Prepared for the Lord's Supper. By I. Watts, 1707. This contained in Bk i. 78 hymns; Bk. ii. 110; Bk. iii. 22, and 12 doxologies. In the 2nd edition published in 1709, Bk. i. was increased to 150; Bk. ii. to 170; Bk. iii. to 25 and 15 doxologies. (3) Divine and Moral Songs for the Use of Children. By I. Watts, London, 1715. (4) The Psalms of David Imitated in the Language of the New Testament, And apply'd to the Christian State and Worship. By I. Watts. London: Printed by J. Clark, at the Bible and Crown in the Poultry, &c, 1719. (5) Sermons with hymns appended thereto, vol. i., 1721; ii., 1723; iii. 1727. In the 5th ed. of the Sermons the three volumes, in duodecimo, were reduced to two, in octavo. (6) Reliquiae Juveniles: Miscellaneous Thoughts in Prose and Verse, on Natural, Moral, and Divine Subjects; Written chiefly in Younger Years. By I. Watts, D.D., London, 1734. (7) Remnants of Time. London, 1736.
454 Hymns and Versions of the Psalms, in addition to the centos are all in common use at the present time.
--Excerpts from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
==================================
Watts, I. , p. 1241, ii. Nearly 100 hymns, additional to those already annotated, are given in some minor hymn-books.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)
=================
Watts, I. , p. 1236, i. At the time of the publication of this Dictionary in 1892, every copy of the 1707 edition of Watts's Hymns and Spiritual Songs was supposed to have perished, and all notes thereon were based upon references which were found in magazines and old collections of hymns and versions of the Psalms. Recently three copies have been recovered, and by a careful examination of one of these we have been able to give some of the results in the revision of pp. 1-1597, and the rest we now subjoin.
i. Hymns in the 1709 ed. of Hymns and Spiritual Songs which previously appeared in the 1707 edition of the same book, but are not so noted in the 1st ed. of this Dictionary:—
On pp. 1237, L-1239, ii., Nos. 18, 33, 42, 43, 47, 48, 60, 56, 58, 59, 63, 75, 82, 83, 84, 85, 93, 96, 99, 102, 104, 105, 113, 115, 116, 123, 124, 134, 137, 139, 146, 147, 148, 149, 162, 166, 174, 180, 181, 182, 188, 190, 192, 193, 194, 195, 197, 200, 202.
ii. Versions of the Psalms in his Psalms of David, 1719, which previously appeared in his Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1707:—
On pp. 1239, U.-1241, i., Nos. 241, 288, 304, 313, 314, 317, 410, 441.
iii. Additional not noted in the revision:—
1. My soul, how lovely is the place; p. 1240, ii. 332. This version of Ps. lxiv. first appeared in the 1707 edition of Hymns & Spiritual Songs, as "Ye saints, how lovely is the place."
2. Shine, mighty God, on Britain shine; p. 1055, ii. In the 1707 edition of Hymns & Spiritual Songs, Bk. i., No. 35, and again in his Psalms of David, 1719.
3. Sing to the Lord with [cheerful] joyful voice, p. 1059, ii. This version of Ps. c. is No. 43 in the Hymns & Spiritual Songs, 1707, Bk. i., from which it passed into the Ps. of David, 1719.
A careful collation of the earliest editions of Watts's Horae Lyricae shows that Nos. 1, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, p. 1237, i., are in the 1706 ed., and that the rest were added in 1709. Of the remaining hymns, Nos. 91 appeared in his Sermons, vol. ii., 1723, and No. 196 in Sermons, vol. i., 1721. No. 199 was added after Watts's death. It must be noted also that the original title of what is usually known as Divine and Moral Songs was Divine Songs only.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)
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See also in:
Hymn Writers of the Church
Isaac Watts
James Montgomery
1771 - 1854 Scripture: Psalm 125:2 Author of "Psalm 91" in Laudes Domini James Montgomery (b. Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland, 1771; d. Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, 1854), the son of Moravian parents who died on a West Indies mission field while he was in boarding school, Montgomery inherited a strong religious bent, a passion for missions, and an independent mind. He was editor of the Sheffield Iris (1796-1827), a newspaper that sometimes espoused radical causes. Montgomery was imprisoned briefly when he printed a song that celebrated the fall of the Bastille and again when he described a riot in Sheffield that reflected unfavorably on a military commander. He also protested against slavery, the lot of boy chimney sweeps, and lotteries. Associated with Christians of various persuasions, Montgomery supported missions and the British Bible Society. He published eleven volumes of poetry, mainly his own, and at least four hundred hymns. Some critics judge his hymn texts to be equal in quality to those of Isaac Watts and Charles Wesley . Many were published in Thomas Cotterill's Selection of Psalms and Hymns (1819 edition) and in Montgomery's own Songs of Zion (1822), Christian Psalmist (1825), and Original Hymns (1853).
Bert Polman
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Montgomery, James, son of John Montgomery, a Moravian minister, was born at Irvine, Ayrshire, Nov. 4, 1771. In 1776 he removed with his parents to the Moravian Settlement at Gracehill, near Ballymena, county of Antrim. Two years after he was sent to the Fulneck Seminary, Yorkshire. He left Fulneck in 1787, and entered a retail shop at Mirfield, near Wakefield. Soon tiring of that he entered upon a similar situation at Wath, near Rotherham, only to find it quite as unsuitable to his taste as the former. A journey to London, with the hope of finding a publisher for his youthful poems ended in failure; and in 1792 he was glad to leave Wath for Shefield to join Mr. Gales, an auctioneer, bookseller, and printer of the Sheffield Register newspaper, as his assistant. In 1794 Mr. Gales left England to avoid a political prosecution. Montgomery took the Sheffield Register in hand, changed its name to The Sheffield Iris, and continued to edit it for thirty-one years. During the next two years he was imprisoned twice, first for reprinting therein a song in commemoration of "The Fall of the Bastille," and the second for giving an account of a riot in Sheffield. The editing of his paper, the composition and publication of his poems and hynms, the delivery of lectures on poetry in Sheffield and at the Royal Institution, London, and the earnest advocacy of Foreign Missions and the Bible Society in many parts of the country, gave great variety but very little of stirring incident to his life. In 1833 he received a Royal pension of £200 a year. He died in his sleep, at the Mount, Sheffield, April 30, 1854, and was honoured with a public funeral. A statue was erected to his memory in the Sheffield General Cemetery, and a stained glass window in the Parish Church. A Wesleyan chapel and a public hall are also named in his honour. Montgomery's principal poetical works, including those which he edited, were:—
(1) Prison Amusements, 1797; (2) The Wanderer of Switzerland, 1806; (3) The West Indies, 1807; (4) The World before the Flood, 1813; (5) Greenland and Other Poems, 1819; (6) Songs of Zion, 1822; (7) The Christian Psalmist, 1825; (8) The Christian Poet, 1825; (9) The Pelican Island, 1828; (10) The Poet’s Portfolio, 1835; (11) Original Hymns for Public, Private, and Social Devotion, 1853. He also published minor pieces at various times, and four editions of his Poetical Works, the first in 1828, the second in 1836, the third in 1841, and the fourth in 1854. Most of these works contained original hymns. He also contributed largely to Collyer's Collection, 1812, and other hymnbooks published during the next 40 years, amongst which the most noticeable was Cotterill's Selections of 1819, in which more than 50 of his compositions appeared. In his Christian Psalmist, 1825, there are 100 of his hymns, and in his Original Hymns, 1853, 355 and 5 doxologies. His Songs of Zion, 1822, number 56. Deducting those which are repeated in the Original Hymns, there remain about 400 original compositions.
Of Montgomery's 400 hymns (including his versions of the Psalms) more than 100 are still in common use. With the aid of Montgomery's MSS. we have given a detailed account of a large number. The rest are as follows:—
i. Appeared in Collyer's Collection, 1812.
1. Jesus, our best beloved Friend. Personal Dedication to Christ.
2. When on Sinai's top I see. Sinai, Tabor, and Calvary.
ii. Appeared in Cotterill's Selection, 1819.
3. Come to Calvary's holy mountain. The Open Fountain.
4. God in the high and holy place. God in Nature. The cento in Com. Praise, 1879, and others, "If God hath made this world so fair," is from this hymn.
5. Hear me, O Lord, in my distress. Ps. cxliii.
6. Heaven is a place of rest from sin. Preparation for Heaven.
7. I cried unto the Lord most just. Ps. cxlii.
8. Lord, let my prayer like incense rise. Ps. cxxxix.
9. O bless the Lord, my soul! His grace to thee proclaim. Ps. ciii.
10. Out of the depths of woe. Ps. cxxx. Sometimes "When from the depths of woe."
11. The world in condemnation lay. Redemption.
12. Where are the dead? In heaven or hell? The Living and the Dead.
iii. Appeared in his Songs of Zion, 1822.
13. Give glory to God in the highest. Ps. xxix.
14. Glad was my heart to hear. Ps. cxxii.
15. God be merciful to me. Ps. lxix.
16. God is my strong salvation. Ps. xxvii.
17. Hasten, Lord, to my release. Ps. lxx.
18. Have mercy on me, O my God. Ps. li.
19. Hearken, Lord, to my complaints. Ps. xlii.
20. Heralds of creation cry. Ps. cxlviii.
21. How beautiful the sight. Ps. cxxxiii.
22. How precious are Thy thoughts of peace. Ps. cxxxix.
23. I love the Lord, He lent an ear. Ps. cxvi.
24. In time of tribulation. Ps. lxxvii.
25. Jehovah is great, and great be His praise. Ps. xlviii. Sometimes, "0 great is Jehovah, and great is His Name."
26. Judge me, O Lord, in righteousness. Ps. xliii.
27. Lift up your heads, ye gates, and wide. Ps.xxiv.
28. Lord, let me know mine [my] end. Ps. xxxi.
29. Of old, 0 God, Thine own right hand. Ps. lxxx.
30. O God, Thou art [my] the God alone. Ps. lxiii.
31. 0 Lord, our King, how excellent. Ps. viii. Sometimes, "0 Lord, how excellent is Thy name."
32. O my soul, with all thy powers. Ps. ciii.
33. One thing with all my soul's desire. Ps. xxvii. From this, "Grant me within Thy courts a place."
34. Searcher of hearts, to Thee are known. Ps. cxxxix.
35. Thank and praise Jehovah's name. Ps. cvii.
36. Thee will I praise, O Lord in light. Ps. cxxxviii.
37. The Lord is King; upon His throne. Ps. xciii.
38. The Lord is my Shepherd, no want shall I know. Ps. xxiii.
39. The tempter to my soul hath said. Ps. iii.
40. Thrice happy he who shuns the way. Ps. i.
41. Thy glory, Lord, the heavens declare. Ps. xix.
42. Thy law is perfect, Lord of light. Ps. xix.
43. Who make the Lord of hosts their tower. Ps. cxxv.
44. Yea, I will extol Thee. Ps. xxx.
iv. Appeared in his Christian Psalmist. 1825.
45. Fall down, ye nations, and adore. Universal adoration of God desired.
46. Food, raiment, dwelling, health, and friends. The Family Altar.
47. Go where a foot hath never trod. Moses in the desert. Previously in the Leeds Congregational Collection, 1822.
48. Green pastures and clear streams. The Good Shepherd and His Flock.
49. Less than the least of all. Mercies acknowledged.
50. Not to the mount that burned with fire [flame]. Communion of Saints.
51. On the first Christian Sabbath eve. Easter Sunday Evening.
52. One prayer I have: all prayers in one. Resignation.
53. Our heavenly Father hear. The Lord's Prayer.
54. Return, my soul, unto thy rest. Rest in God.
55. Spirit of power and might, behold. The Spirit's renewing desired.
56. The Christian warrior, see him stand. The Christian Soldier. Sometimes, "Behold the Christian warrior stand."
57. The days and years of time are fled. Day of Judgment.
58. The glorious universe around. Unity.
59. The pure and peaceful mind. A Children's Prayer.
60. This is the day the Lord hath made (q. v.). Sunday.
61. Thy word, Almighty Lord. Close of Service.
62. What secret hand at morning light ? Morning.
63. While through this changing world we roam. Heaven.
64. Within these walls be peace. For Sunday Schools.
v. Appeared in his Original Hymns, 1853.
65. Behold yon bright array. Opening a Place of Worship.
66. Behold the book whose leaves display. Holy Scriptures.
67. Come ye that fear the Lord. Confirmation.
68. Home, kindred, friends, and country, these. Farewell to a Missionary.
69. Let me go, the day is breaking. Jacob wrestling.
70. Not in Jerusalem alone. Consecration of a Church.
71. Praise the high and holy One. God the Creator.
In common with most poets and hymnwriters, Montgomery strongly objected to any correction or rearrangement of his compositions. At the same time he did not hesitate to alter, rearrange, and amend the productions of others. The altered texts which appeared in Cotterill's Selections, 1819, and which in numerous instances are still retained in some of the best hymnbooks, as the "Rock of Ages," in its well-known form of three stanzas, and others of equal importance, were made principally by him for Cotterill's use. We have this confession under his own hand.
As a poet, Montgomery stands well to the front; and as a writer of hymns he ranks in popularity with Wesley, Watts, Doddridge, Newton, and Cowper. His best hymns were written in his earlier years. In his old age he wrote much that was unworthy of his reputation. His finest lyrics are "Angels from the realms of glory," "Go to dark Gethsemane," "Hail to the Lord's Anointed," and "Songs of praise the angels sang." His "Prayer is the soul's sincere desire," is an expanded definition of prayer of great beauty; and his "Forever with the Lord" is full of lyric fire and deep feeling. The secrets of his power as a writer of hymns were manifold. His poetic genius was of a high order, higher than most who stand with him in the front rank of Christian poets. His ear for rhythm was exceedingly accurate and refined. His knowledge of Holy Scripture was most extensive. His religious views were broad and charitable. His devotional spirit was of the holiest type. With the faith of a strong man he united the beauty and simplicity of a child. Richly poetic without exuberance, dogmatic without uncharitableness, tender without sentimentality, elaborate without diffusiveness, richly musical without apparent effort, he has bequeathed to the Church of Christ wealth which could onlv have come from a true genius and a sanctified! heart.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
James Montgomery
