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 His command and all the stars obey.
I sing the goodness of the Lord, Who filled the earth with food;
He formed the creatures with His word and 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 man can be, Thou, God, art present there.
I Sing the Mighty Power Of God was written by Isaac Watts. It was first published in 1715. Isaac originally titled the song “Praise for Creation and Providence”, writing the hymn for children.
Isaac was born on July 7, 1674, in Southampton, England. Not too far from the original birthplace of my ancestors in the Weekley village. Back to Isaac, he was the oldest of nine children in the Watts home. His father Enoch Watts, was a Puritan who ministered in the Congregational Church. Isaac’s father did not adhere to the established church order and doctrine of that day, Enoch spent much time in prison for doing such.
At a very early age, Isaac learned Latin at the age of five, Greek at nine, French at eleven, and Hebrew at thirteen. For twelve years, his mother taught him the writing of rhyme and verse. The gift of motherhood is a gift of power. When used wisely with knowledge and understanding, the mother’s influential power will remain for generations to come. Such as the case with Isaac Watts.
Having suffered from smallpox when he was fifteen years old, Isaac Watts remained sickly and in poor health his entire life. Besides suffering from the frailty of health, Isaac was only five feet tall with an oversized head and large nose which to some gave him a very ugly appearance. Reminds me of King David. Samuel was looking for a strong stature of a man, but LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7 Despite Isaac’s physical disadvantages, he was brilliant, loving, and had a personality that transformed the musical worship of the Christian Church for the last three centuries.
He gathers together the outcasts.
He heals the broken in heart, binds up their wounds.
He counts the number of the stars;
He calls them all by their names.
Psalm 147:2-4
From that humble beginning in 1692, the writings of Isaac Watts have brought about a revolution in the singing of the Christian Church that still resounds after three centuries of praise and worship unto this very day. He wrote more than 600 hymns for the church plus rhyming verse and poetry for the education of children. Among some of Isaac’s most loved hymns is Joy to the World; When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, Did My Savior Bleed also known as, “At the Cross” and so many more.
Isaac was seventy-four years old when he was called to his heavenly home in 1748. The law required him to be buried outside the city limits because he was a nonconformist and dissenter of the Church of England.
Continue in Isaac’s footsteps, do not conform, but follow the sovereignty of God, the efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ for man’s salvation and the consecration of the believer.”O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth. Sing unto the Lord, bless His name, show forth His salvation from day to day.”—Psalm 96:1-2
To learn more about Isaac Watts check out Truth in History.
