PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
Hymns and Spiritual Songs
Watts, Isaac, 1674-1748 · 62,793 words · 378 reading sections
Hymn 2:87. The divine glories above our reason.
1 How wond'rous great, how glorious bright Must our Creator be, Who dwells amidst the dazzling light Of vast infinity! 2 Our soaring spirits upward rise Tow'rd the celestial throne, Fain would we see the blessed Three, And the Almighty One. 3 Our reason stretches all its wings, And climbs above the skies; But still h…
130 wordsSECTION 242Hymn 2:88. Salvation.
1 Salvation! O, the joyful sound! 'Tis pleasure to our ears; A sovereign balm for every wound, A cordial for our fears. 2 Buried in sorrow and in sin, At hell's dark door we lay, But we arise by grace divine To see a heavenly day. 3 Salvation! let the echo fly The spacious earth around, While all the armies of the sk…
68 wordsSECTION 243Hymn 2:89. Christ's victory over Satan.
1 Hosanna to our conquering King! The prince of darkness flies, His troops rush headlong down to hell Like lightning from the skies. 2 There, bound in chains, the lions roar, And fright the rescu'd sheep, But heavy bars confine their power And malice to the deep. 3 Hosanna to our conquering King, All hail, incarnate …
90 wordsSECTION 244Hymn 2:90. Faith in Christ for pardon and sanctification.
1 How sad our state by nature is! Our sin how deep it stains! And Satan binds our captive minds Fast in his slavish chains. 2 But there's a voice of sovereign grace Sounds from the sacred word, "Ho, ye despairing sinners, come, "And trust upon the Lord." 3 My soul obeys th' almighty call, And runs to this relief, I w…
141 wordsSECTION 245Hymn 2:91. The glory of Christ in heaven.
1 O the delights, the heavenly joys, The glories of the place Where Jesus sheds the brightest beams Of his o'erflowing grace. 2 Sweet majesty and awful love Sit smiling on his brow, And all the glorious ranks above At humble distance bow. 3 [Princes to his imperial Name Bend their bright sceptres down, Dominions, thr…
207 wordsSECTION 246Hymn 2:92 The church saved, and her enemies disappointed.
Composed the 5th of November, 1694. 1 Shout to the Lord, and let our joys Thro' the whole nation run; Ye British skies, resound the noise Beyond the rising sun. 2 Thee, mighty God, our souls admire, Thee our glad voices sing, And join with the celestial choir To praise th' eternal King. 3 Thy power the whole creatio…
185 wordsSECTION 247Hymn 2:93. God all, and in all, Psalm 73. 25.
1 My God, my life, my love, To thee, to thee I call, I cannot live if thou remove, For thou art all in all. 2 [Thy shining grace can cheer, This dungeon where I dwell; 'Tis paradise when thou art here; If thou depart, 'tis hell.] 3 [The smilings of thy face, How amiable they are! 'Tis heaven to rest in thine embrace,…
180 wordsSECTION 248Hymn 2:94. God my only happiness, Psalm 73. 25.
1 My God, my portion, and my love, My everlasting all, I've none but thee in heaven above, Or on this earthly ball. 2 [What empty things are all the skies, And this inferior clod! There's nothing here deserves my joys, There's nothing like my God.] 3 [In vain the bright, the burning sun Scatters his feeble light; 'Ti…
195 wordsSECTION 249Hymn 2:95. Look on him whom they pierced, and mourn.
1 Infinite grief! amazing woe! Behold my bleeding Lord: Hell and the Jews conspir'd his death, And us'd the Roman sword. 2 O the sharp pangs of smarting pain My dear Redeemer bore, When knotty whips and ragged thorns His sacred body tore! 3 But knotty whips and ragged thorns In vain do I accuse; In vain I blame the R…
135 wordsSECTION 250Hymn 2:96. Distinguishing love; or, Angels punished and men saved.
1 Down headlong from their native skies The rebel angels fell, And thunderbolts of flaming wrath Pursu'd them deep to hell. 2 Down from the top of earthly bliss Rebellious man was hurl'd And Jesus stoop'd beneath the grave To reach a sinking world. 3 O love of infinite degree! Unmeasurable grace! Must heaven's eterna…
107 wordsSECTION 251Hymn 2:97. The same.
1 From heaven the sinning angels fell, And wrath and darkness chain'd them down; But man, vile man, forsook his bliss, And mercy lifts him to a crown. 2 Amazing work of sovereign grace That could distinguish rebels so! Our guilty treasons call'd aloud For everlasting fetters too. 3 To thee, to thee, Almighty Love, Ou…
76 wordsSECTION 252Hymn 2:98. Hardness of heart complained of.
1 My heart, how dreadful hard it is! How heavy here it lies, Heavy and cold within my breast Just like a rock of ice! 2 Sin like a raging tyrant sits Upon this flinty throne, And every grace lies buried deep Beneath this heart of stone. 3 How seldom do I rise to God, Or taste the joys above! This mountain presses dow…
143 wordsSECTION 253Hymn 2:99. The book of God's decrees.
1 Let the whole race of creatures lie Abas'd before their God; Whate'er his sovereign voice hath form'd He governs with a nod. 2 [Ten thousand ages ere the skies Were into motion brought, All the long years and worlds to come Stood present to his thought.] 5 [There's not a sparrow or a worm But's found in his decrees…
148 wordsSECTION 254Hymn 2:100. The presence of Christ is the life of my soul.
1 [How full of anguish is the thought, How it distracts and tears my heart If God, at last, my sovereign Judge, Should frown, and bid my soul, "Depart!"] 2 Lord, when I quit this earthly stage, Where shall I fly but to thy breast? For I have sought no other home For I have learn'd no other rest. 3 I cannot live conte…
281 wordsSECTION 255Hymn 2:101. The world's three great temptations.
1 When in the light of faith divine We look on things below, Honour, and gold, and sensual joy, How vain and dangerous too! 2 [Honour's a puff of noisy breath; Yet men expose their blood, And venture everlasting death To gain that airy good. 3 Whilst others starve the nobler mind, And feed on shining dust, They rob t…
142 wordsSECTION 256Hymn 2:102. A happy resurrection.
1 No, I'll repine at death no more, But with a cheerful gasp resign To the cold dungeon of the grave These dying, withering limbs of mine. 2 Let worms devour my wasting flesh, And crumble all my bones to dust, My God shall raise my frame anew At the revival of the just. 3 Break, sacred morning, thro' the skies, Bring…
136 wordsSECTION 257Hymn 2:103. Christ's commission, John 3. 16 17.
1 Come happy souls, approach your God With new melodious songs; Come, render to almighty grace The tribute of your tongues. 2 So strange, so boundless was the love That pity'd dying men, The Father sent his equal Son To give them life again. 3 Thy hands, dear Jesus, were not arm'd With a revenging rod, No hard commis…
136 wordsSECTION 258Hymn 2:104. The same.
1 Raise your triumphant songs To an immortal tune, Let the wide earth resound the deeds Celestial grace has done. 2 Sing how eternal love Its chief beloved chose, And bid him raise our wretched race From their abyss of woes. 3 His hand no thunder bears, Nor terror clothes his brow, No bolts to drive our guilty souls …
131 wordsSECTION 259Hymn 2:105. Repentance flowing from the patience of God.
1 And are we wretches yet alive? And do we yet rebel? 'Tis boundless, 'tis amazing love That bears us up from hell! 2 The burden of our weighty guilt Would sink us down to flames, And threatening vengeance rolls above To crush our feeble frames. 3 Almighty goodness cries, "Forbear;" And straight the thunder stays; An…
118 wordsSECTION 260Hymn 2:106. Repentance at the cross.
1 Oh, if my soul was form'd for woe, How would I vent my sighs! Repentance should like rivers flow From both my streaming eyes. 2 'Twas for my sins, my dearest Lord Hung on the cursed tree, And groan'd away a dying life, For thee, my soul, for thee. 3 O how I hate those lusts of mine That crucify'd my God, Those sins…
123 wordsSECTION 261Hymn 2:107. The everlasting absence of God intolerable.
1 That awful day will surely come, Th' appointed hour makes haste, When I must stand before my Judge, And pass the solemn test. 2 Thou lovely chief of all my joys, Thou sovereign of my heart, How could I bear to hear thy voice Pronounce the sound, "Depart?" 3 [The thunder of that dismal word, Would so torment my ear,…
187 wordsSECTION 262Hymn 2:108. Access to the throne of grace by a Mediator.
1 Come, let us lift our joyful eyes Up to the courts above, And smile to see our Father there Upon a throne of love. 2 Once 'twas a seat of dreadful wrath, And shot devouring flame; Our God appear'd consuming fire, And vengeance was his name. 3 Rich were the drops of Jesus' blood, That calm'd his frowning face, That …
142 wordsSECTION 263Hymn 2:109. The darkness of providence.
1 Lord, we adore thy vast designs, Th' obscure abyss of providence, Too deep to sound with mortal lines Too dark to view with feeble sense. 2 Now thou array'st thine awful face In angry frowns, without a smile; We thro' the cloud believe thy grace, Secure of thy compassion still. 3 Thro' seas and storms of deep distr…
107 wordsSECTION 264Hymn 2:110. Triumph over death in hope of the resurrection.
1 And must this body die? This mortal frame decay? And must these active limbs of mine Lie mouldering in the clay? 2 Corruption, earth and worms, Shall but refine this flesh, Till my triumphant spirit comes To put it on afresh. 3 God my Redeemer lives, And often from the skies Looks down, and watches all my dust, Til…
128 wordsSECTION 265Hymn 2:111. Thanksgiving for victory; or, God's dominion and our deliverance.
1 Zion rejoice, and Judah sing; The Lord assumes his throne; Let Britain own the heavenly King, And make his glories known. 2 The great, the wicked, and the proud, From their high seats are hurl'd; Jehovah rides upon a cloud, And thunders thro' the world. 3 He reigns upon th' eternal hills, Distributes mortal crowns,…
138 wordsSECTION 266Hymn 2:112. Angels ministering to Christ and saints.
1 Great God, to what a glorious height Hast thou advanc'd the Lord thy Son! Angels, in all their robes of light, Are made the servants of his throne. 2 Before his feet their armies wait, And swift as flames of fire they move, To manage his affairs of state In works of vengeance or of love. 3 His orders run thro' all …
138 wordsSECTION 267Hymn 2:113. The same.
1 The majesty of Solomon! How glorious to behold The servants waiting round his throne, The ivory and the gold. 2 But, mighty God, thy palace shines With far superior beams; Thine angel-guards are swift as winds, Thy ministers are flames. 3 [Soon as thine only Son had made His entrance on this earth, A shining army d…
183 wordsSECTION 268Hymn 2:114. Christ's death, victory and dominion.
1 I sing my Saviour's wondrous death; He conquer'd when he fell: _'Tis finish'd_, said his dying breath, And shook the gates of hell. 2 _'Tis finish'd_, our Immanuel cries, The dreadful work is done; Hence shall his sovereign throne arise, His kingdom is begun. 3 His cross a sure foundation laid For glory and renown,…
113 wordsSECTION 269Hymn 2:115. God the avenger of his saints; or, His kingdom.
1 High as the heavens above the ground Reigns the Creator God; Wide as the whole creation's bound Extends his awful rod. 2 Let princes of exalted state To him ascribe their crown, Render their homage at his feet, And cast their glories down. 3 Know that his kingdom is supreme, Your lofty thoughts are vain; He calls y…
120 wordsSECTION 270Hymn 2:116. Mercies and thanks.
1 How can I sink with such a prop As my eternal God, Who bears the earth's huge pillars up, And spreads the heavens abroad? 2 How can I die while Jesus lives, Who rose and left the dead? Pardon and grace my soul receives From mine exalted head. 3 All that I am, and all I have Shall be for ever thine, Whate'er my duty…
100 wordsSECTION 271Hymn 2:117. Living and dying with God present.
1 I cannot bear thine absence, Lord, My life expires if thou depart; Be thou, my heart, still near my God, And thou, my God, be near my heart. 2 I was not born for earth and sin, Nor can I live on things so vile; Yet I would stay my Father's time, And hope and wait for heaven a while. 3 Then, dearest Lord, in thine e…
87 wordsSECTION 272Hymn 2:118. The priesthood of Christ.
1 Blood has a voice to pierce the skies _Revenge_, the blood of Abel cries; But the dear stream when Christ was slain Speaks _Peace_ as loud from ev'ry vein. 2 Pardon and peace from God on high, Behold he lays his vengeance by, And rebels that deserv'd his sword, Become the favourites of the Lord. 3 To Jesus let our …
82 wordsSECTION 273Hymn 2:119. The holy scriptures.
1 Laden with guilt, and full of fears, I fly to thee, my Lord, And not a glimpse of hope appears, But in thy written word. 2 The volume of my Father's grace Does all my griefs assuage: Here I behold my Saviour's face Almost in every page. 3 [This is the field where hidden lies The pearl of price unknown, That merchan…
140 wordsSECTION 274Hymn 2:120. The law and gospel joined in scripture.
1 The Lord declares his will, And keeps the world in awe; Amidst the smoke on Sinai's hill Breaks out his fiery law. 2 The Lord reveals his face, And smiling from above, Sends down the gospel of his grace, Th' epistles of his love. 3 These sacred words impart Our Maker's just commands; The pity of his melting heart, …
150 wordsSECTION 275Hymn 2:121. The law and gospel distinguished.
1 The law commands, and makes us know What duties to our God we owe; But 'tis the gospel must reveal Where lies our strength to do his will. 2 The law discovers guilt and sin, And shews how vile our hearts have been; Only the gospel can express Forgiving love and cleansing grace. 3 What curses doth the law denounce A…
109 wordsSECTION 276Hymn 2:122. Retirement and meditation.
1 My God, permit me not to be A stranger to myself and thee; Amidst a thousand thoughts I rove Forgetful of my highest love. 2 Why should my passions mix with earth, And thus debase my heavenly birth? Why should I cleave to things below, And let my God, my Saviour go? 3 Call me away from flesh and sense, One sovereig…
107 wordsSECTION 277Hymn 2:123. The benefit of public ordinances.
1 Away from every mortal care, Away from earth our souls retreat; We leave this worthless world afar, And wait and worship near thy seat. 2 Lord, in the temple of thy grace We see thy feet, and we adore; We gaze upon thy lovely face, And learn the wonders of thy power. 3 While here our various wants we mourn, United …
156 wordsSECTION 278Hymn 2:124. Moses, Aaron, and Joshua.
1 'Tis not the law of ten commands On holy Sinai given, Or sent to men by Moses' hands, Can bring us safe to heaven. 2 'Tis not the blood which Aaron spilt, Nor smoke of sweetest smell, Can buy a pardon for our guilt, Or save our souls from hell. 3 Aaron the priest resigns his breath At God's immediate will; And in t…
129 wordsSECTION 279Hymn 2:125. Faith and repentance; unbelief and impenitence.
1 Life and immortal joys are given To those that mourn the sins they've done, Children of wrath made heirs of heaven By faith in God's eternal Son. 2 Woe to the wretch that never felt The inward pangs of pious grief, But adds to all his crying guilt The stubborn sin of unbelief. 3 The law condemns the rebel dead, Und…
82 wordsSECTION 280Hymn 2:126. God glorified in the gospel.
1 The Lord, descending from above, Invites his children near, While power and truth and boundless love Display their glories here. 2 Here in thy gospel's wondrous frame Fresh wisdom we pursue; A thousand angels learn thy Name Beyond whate'er they knew. 3 Thy Name is writ in fairest lines, Thy wonders here we trace; W…
111 wordsSECTION 281Hymn 2:127. Circumcision and baptism. (Written only for those who practise infant baptism.)
1 Thus did the sons of Abrah'm pass Under the bloody seal of grace; The young disciples bore the yoke, Till Christ the painful bondage broke. 2 By milder ways doth Jesus prove His Father's covenant, and his love; He seals to saints his glorious grace, And not forbids their infant race. 3 Their seed is sprinkled with …
103 wordsSECTION 282Hymn 2:128. Corrupt nature from Adam.
1 Bless'd with the joy of innocence Adam, our father, stood, Till he debas'd his soul to sense, And ate th' unlawful food. 2 Now we are born a sensual race, To sinful joys inclin'd; Reason has lost its native place, And flesh enslaves the mind. 3 While flesh and sense and passion reigns, Sin is the sweetest good: We …
114 wordsSECTION 283Hymn 2:129. We walk by faith, not by sight.
1 'Tis by the faith of joys to come We walk thro' deserts dark as night; Till we arrive at heaven our home, Faith is our guide, and faith our light. 2 The want of sight she well supplies, She makes the pearly gates appear; Far into distant worlds she pries, And brings eternal glories near. 3 Cheerful we tread the des…
109 wordsSECTION 284Hymn 2:130. The new creation.
1 Attend while God's exalted Son Doth his own glories shew; "Behold I sit upon my throne Creating all things new. 2 "Nature and sin are pass'd away, And the old Adam dies; "My hands a new foundation lay, "See the new world arise. 3 "I'll be a sun of righteousness "To the new-heavens I make; "None but the new-born hei…
142 wordsSECTION 285Hymn 2:131. The excellency of the Christian religion.
1 Let everlasting glories crown Thy head, my Saviour and my Lord; Thy hands have brought salvation down, And writ the blessings in thy word. 2 [What if we trace the globe around, And search from Britain to Japan, There shall be no religion found So just to God, so safe for man.] 3 In vain the trembling conscience see…
157 wordsSECTION 286Hymn 2:132. The offices of Christ.
1 We bless the Prophet of the Lord, That comes with truth and grace; Jesus, thy Spirit and thy word Shall lead us in thy ways. 2 We reverence our High Priest above, Who offer'd up his blood, And lives to carry on his love, By pleading with our God. 3 We honour our exalted King, How sweet are his commands! He guards o…
94 wordsSECTION 287Hymn 2:133. The operations of the Holy Spirit.
1 Eternal Spirit! we confess And sing the wonders of thy grace; Thy power conveys our blessings down From God the Father and the Son. 2 Enlighten'd by thine heavenly ray Our shades and darkness turn to day; Thine inward teachings make us know Our danger and our refuge too. 3 Thy power and glory works within, And brea…
101 wordsSECTION 288Hymn 2:134. Circumcision abolished.
1 The promise was divinely free, Extensive was the grace; "I will the God of Abrah'm be, "And of his numerous race." 2 He said; and with a bloody seal Confirm'd the words he spoke; Long did the Sons of Abrah'm feel The sharp and painful yoke. 3 Till God's own Son, descending low, Gave his own flesh to bleed; And Gent…
93 wordsSECTION 289Hymn 2:135. Types and prophecies of Christ.
1 Behold the woman's promis'd seed! Behold the great Messiah come! Behold the prophets all agreed To give him the superior room! 2 Abrah'm the saint rejoic'd of old When visions of the Lord he saw; Moses the man of God foretold This great fulfiller of his law. 3 The types bore witness to his Name, Obtain'd their chie…
99 wordsSECTION 290Hymn 2:136. Miracles at the birth of Christ.
1 The King of Glory sends his Son To make his entrance on this earth! Behold the midnight bright as noon, And heavenly hosts declare his birth! 2 About the young Redeemer's head What wonders and what glories meet! An unknown star arose, and led The eastern sages to his feet. 3 Simeon and Anna both conspire The Infant…
100 wordsSECTION 291Hymn 2:137. Miracles in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.
1 Behold the blind their sight receive; Behold the dead awake and live; The dumb speak wonders, and the lame Leap like the hart, and bless his Name. 2 Thus doth th' eternal Spirit own And seal the mission of the Son; The Father vindicates his cause, While he hangs bleeding on the cross. 3 He dies; the heavens in mour…
108 wordsSECTION 292Hymn 2:138. The power of the gospel.
1 This is the word of truth and love, Sent to the nations from above; Jehovah here resolves to shew What his almighty grace can do. 2 This remedy did wisdom find To heal diseases of the mind: This sovereign balm, whose virtues can Restore the ruin'd creature, man. 3 The gospel bids the dead revive, Sinners obey the v…
161 wordsSECTION 293Hymn 2:139. The example of Christ.
1 My dear Redeemer and my Lord, I read my duty in thy word; But in thy life the law appears Drawn out in living characters. 2 Such was thy truth, and such thy zeal, Such deference to thy Father's will, Such love, and meekness so divine, I would transcribe, and make them mine. 3 Cold mountains and the midnight air Wit…
106 wordsSECTION 294Hymn 2:140. The example: of Christ and the saints.
1 Give me the wings of faith to rise Within the veil, and see The saints above, how great their joys, How bright their glories be. 2 Once they were mourning here below, And wet their couch with tears; They wrestled hard, as we do now, With sins, and doubts, and fears. 3 I ask them whence their victory came, They, wit…
121 wordsSECTION 295Hymn 2:141. Faith assisted by sense; or, Preaching, baptism, and the Lord's Supper.
1 My Saviour-God, my Sovereign-Prince Reigns far above the skies; But brings his graces down to sense, And helps my faith to rise. 2 My eyes and ears shall bless his Name, They read and hear his word; My touch and taste shall do the same When they receive the Lord. 3 Baptismal water is design'd To seal his cleansing …
153 wordsSECTION 296Hymn 2:142. Faith in Christ our sacrifice.
1 Not all the blood of beasts On Jewish altars slain Could give the guilty conscience peace, Or wash away the stain. 2 But Christ the heavenly Lamb Takes all our sins away; A sacrifice of nobler name And richer blood than they. 3 My faith would lay her hand On that dear head of thine, While like a penitent I stand An…
112 wordsSECTION 297Hymn 2:143. Flesh and spirit.
1 What different powers of grace and sin Attend our mortal state! I hate the thoughts that work within, And do the works I hate. 2 Now I complain, and groan, and die, While sin and Satan reign: Now raise my songs of triumph high, For grace prevails again. 3 So darkness struggles with the light Till perfect day arise;…
96 wordsSECTION 298Hymn 2:144. The effusion of the Spirit; or, The success of the gospel.
1 Great was the day, the joy was great, When the divine disciples met; Whilst on their heads the Spirit came, And sat like tongues of cloven flame. 2 What gifts, what miracles he gave! And power to kill, and power to save! Furnish'd their tongues with wondrous words, Instead of shields, and spears, and swords. 3 Thus…
164 wordsSECTION 299Hymn 2:145. Sight through a glass, and face to face.
1 I love the windows of thy grace Thro' which my Lord is seen, And long to meet my Saviour's face Without a glass between. 2 O, that the happy hour were come To change my faith to sight! I shall behold my Lord at home In a diviner light. 3 Haste, my beloved, and remove These interposing days: Then shall my passions a…
72 wordsSECTION 300Hymn 2:146. The vanity of creatures; or, No rest on earth.
1 Man has a soul of vast desires, He burns within with restless fires; Tost to and fro, his passions fly From vanity to vanity. 2 In vain on earth we hope to find Some solid good to fill the mind, We try new pleasures, but we feel The inward thirst and torment still. 3 So when a raging fever burns We shift from side …
111 wordsSource & rights
Public domain in the USA; original historical text digitized by Project Gutenberg.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.