O God, Our Help in Ages Past

Our Hope for Years to Come

O God, Our Help in Ages Past is one of the most well known of the 600 hymns written by Isaac Watts (1674-1748). Written in 1714 as a paraphrase of Psalm 90, it was first published in 1719 as part of his collection: The Psalms of David Imitated in the Language of the New Testament. It is sung to the tune, Saint Anne by William Croft (1678-1727). It was composed in 1708 while he was organist at St. Anne's Church in Soho, London. He eventually became organist at Westminster Abbey. In the Liturgy of the Hours, O God, Our Help in Ages Past is used in the Common of Holy Men and in the Common of Holy Women.

Tune: St. Anne

O GOD, OUR HELP IN AGES PAST by Isaac Watts, 1719 (Public Domain)

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

2. Under the shadow of thy throne,
thy saints have dwelt secure;
sufficient is thine arm alone,
and our defense is sure.

3. Before the hills in order stood,
or earth received her frame,
rom everlasting thou art God,
to endless years the same.

4. A thousand ages in thy sight
are like an evening gone;
short as the watch that ends the night
before the rising sun.

5. Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
bears all its sons away;
they fly, forgotten, as a dream
dies at the opening day.

6. O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
be thou our guide while troubles last,
and our eternal home!

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

On Which the Prince of Glory Died

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross is one of the most beloved hymns of Isaac Watts (1674-1748). First published in 1707 as part of his collection: Hymns and Spiritual Songs, it was written for a communion service and was originally called Crucifixion to the World by the Cross of Christ. Charles Wes­ley is said to have remarked: that he would give up all of his 6000 hymns to have written this one. It is set to the tune Rock­ing­ham (1790), attributed to composer and one time flautist in the orchestra of George Fredrick Handel, Ed­ward Mill­er (1735-1807). In the Liturgy of the Hours, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross is used during Lent and Holy Week.



WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS by Isaac Watts, 1701 (Public Domain)

1. When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

2. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

3. See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

4. His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.

5. Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

6. To Christ, who won for sinners grace
By bitter grief and anguish sore,
Be praise from all the ransomed race
Forever and forevermore.

From All That Dwell Below the Skies

Let the Creator’s Praise Arise.

From All That Dwell Below the Skies , first published 1719 is one of the most popular of some 750 hymns written by the Non-Conformist, Isaac Watts (1674-1748). There are a number of versions of this hymn including Hymn #19 of the Office which is sung to a different tune. This setting uses the melody, Eisenach (1628) by Johann Schein (1586-1630). He was one of the first German composers to add Italian Baroque elements of composition to Lutheran music. A popular alternative tune is Duke Street, as featured in the following video. In the Liturgy of the Hours, From All That Dwell Below the Skies is used during Ordinary Time for Morning and Daytime Midmorning Prayer.



FROM ALL THAT DWELL BELOW THE SKIES by Isaac Watts, 1719; 3rd stanza by Anonymous; 4th stanza by Robert Spence, 1780 (Public Domain)

1. From all that dwell below the skies,
Let the Creator’s praise arise;
Let the Redeemer’s Name be sung,
Through every land, by every tongue.

2. Eternal are Thy mercies, Lord,
Eternal truth attends Thy Word.
Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore,
Till suns rise and set no more.

3. Your lofty themes, ye mortals, bring,
In songs of praise divinely sing;
The great salvation loud proclaim,
And shout for joy the Savior’s Name.

 4. In every land begin the song;
To every land the strains belong;
In cheerful sounds all voices raise,
And fill the world with loudest praise.

From All That Dwell Below the Skies (with Alleluia)

Till suns shall rise and set no more.

From All That Dwell Below the Skies was written in 1719 by the "Father of English Hymnody," Isaac Watts. There are a number of versions of this hymn including Hymn #20 of the Office which is sung to a different tune. This setting uses Erschienen Ist Der Herrlich Tag by the Bohemian composer, organist, and chiormaster Nikolaus Hermann (c1480-1561). An early supporter of the Reformation, he was a friend of Martin Luther. JS Bach's own Erschienen ist der herrliche Tag, (Chorale-Prelude) is based upon the Herman original. A popular alternative tune is Lasst uns erfreuen, as featured in the video below. In the Liturgy of the Hours,  From All That Dwell Below the Skies is used during Ordinary Time for Morning and Daytime Midmorning Prayer.


Tune: Lasst uns Erfreuen (Begins @ 1:00 min.)

FROM ALL THAT DWELL BELOW THE SKIES by Isaac Watts, 1719; 3rd stanza by Ro­bert Spence, 1780 (Public Domain)

From all that dwell below the skies,
Let the Creator’s praise arise;
Let the Redeemer’s Name be sung,
Through every land, by every tongue.

Eternal are Thy mercies, Lord;
Eternal truth attends Thy Word.
Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore,
Till suns rise and set no more.

In every land begin the song;
To every land the strains belong;
In cheerful sounds all voices raise,
And fill the world with loudest praise.

I Sing the Mighty Power of God

Lord, how your wonders are displayed

I Sing the Mighty Power of God was written by Isaac Watts. It was originally published in Divine and Moral Songs for Children, 1715. It was intended for use by children and meant to convey the simple awe, wonder, and goodness of creation. It is set to the tune Ellacombe by William Henry Monk (1823-1889),  first published in a chapel hymnal for the Duke of Würtemberg: the Gesangbuch der Herzogl of 1784. In the Liturgy of the Hours, I Sing the Mighty Power of God is used during Ordinary Time for Morning Prayer.

Tune: Ellacombe

I Sing the Mighty Power of God (Iassac Watts, 1715, Public Domain)

I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at God’s command, and all the stars obey.

I sing the goodness of the Lord, who filled the earth with food,
Who formed the creatures through the Word, & then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.

There’s not a plant or flower below, but makes Thy glories known,
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from Thy throne;
While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care;
And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God art present there.