Bless'd are the humble souls that see. I. Watts. [The Beatitudes.] This metrical paraphrase of the Beatitudes (St. Matt. v. 3-12) appeared in the enlarged edition of his Hymns & Sacred Songs, 1709, Book i., No. 102, in 8 stanzas of 4 lines. It held a prominent position in the older collections, but of late it has fallen very much out of favour. As "Bless’d are," "Blessed are," or "Blest are," it is still found in a few collections both in Great Britain and America.
-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
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… Go to person page >
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