The Sight of God and Christ in Heaven

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Descend from heaven, immortal Dove

Author: Isaac Watts
Tune: HOSANNA (34555)
Published in 89 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, Noteworthy Composer
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 Descend from heaven, immortal Dove,
Stoop down and take us on thy wings,
And mount and bear us far above
The reach of these inferior things;

2 Beyond, beyond this lower sky,
Up where eternal ages roll,
Where solid pleasures never die,
And fruits immortal feast the soul.

3 O for a sight, a pleasing sight,
Of our almighty Father’s throne;
There sits our Saviour crowned with light,
Clothed in a body like our own.

4 [Adoring saints around him stand,
And thrones and powers before him fall;
The God shines gracious through the Man,
And sheds sweet glories on them all.

5 O what amazing joys they feel,
While to their golden harps they sing
And sit on every heavenly hill,
And spread the triumphs of their King!]

6 When shall the day, dear Lord, appear,
That I shall mount to dwell above,
And stand and bow amongst them there
And view thy face, and sing thy love?

Source: A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship. In four parts (10th ed.) (Gadsby's Hymns) #481

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Author: Isaac Watts

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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First Line:	Descend from heaven, immortal Dove
Title:	The Sight of God and Christ in Heaven
Author:	Isaac Watts
Meter:	8.8.8.8
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

Psalm 12
(hymns)

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Notes

Descend from heaven, immortal Dove. I. Watts. [Christ in Glory.] First published in his Hymns & Sacred Songs, 1707 (2nd edition, 1709, Book ii., No. 23), in 6 stanzas of 4 lines. In the older collections two arrangements .are found, the first dating from Whitefield's Collection, 1753, No. 79, and the second from Toplady's Psalms & Hymns, 1776, No. 387 (later eds. No. 367), the last stanza of the latter being altered from Watts, Bk. ii., No. 47, by Toplady. In modern hymnals these centos have given place to others. The full and original text is rarely found in the hymn-books.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

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