Good is the Lord [our] the heavenly King. I. Watts. [Psalm lxv.—Spring.] First published in his Psalms of David, &c, 1719, in 6 stanzas of 4 lines and entitled, "The Blessings of Spring; or, God gives Rain." It is found in several modern hymn-books, and sometimes abbreviated as in the New Congregational Hymn Book, 1859. Another hymn beginning, "Good is the Lord, our heavenly King," appeared in Bickersteth's Christian Psalmody, 1833, No. 498, with the ascription to "Watts" in the Index. The first stanza is stanza i. of this version of Psalm lxv., with our for the; the remaining three, each beginning, "Good is the Lord," are by another hand.
--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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