When I Can Read My Title Clear

Representative Text

1 When I can read my title clear
To mansions in the skies,
I'll bid farewell to every fear,
And wipe my weeping eyes.

Refrain:
I'm goin' to trust in the Lord,
I'm goin' to trust in the Lord,
I'm goin' to trust in the Lord till I die:
I'm goin' to trust in the Lord,
I'm goin' to trust in the Lord,
I'm goin' to trust in the Lord till I die.

2 Should earth against my soul engage,
And fiery darts be hurled,
Then I can smile at Satan's rage,
And face a frowning world. [Refrain]

3 Let cares like a wild deluge come,
Let storms of sorrow fall!
May I but safely reach my home:
My God, my heaven my all. [Refrain]

4 There shall I bathe my weary soul
In seas of heavenly rest,
And not a wave of trouble roll
Across my peaceful breast. [Refrain]

Source: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal #483

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 >

Notes

When I can read my title clear. I. Watts. [Assurance of Faith and Hope.] Appeared in his Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1707, in 4 stanzas of 4 lines. It is headed "The Hopes of Heaven our Support under Trials on Earth." Its use in Great Britain and America is very extensive. The text has undergone several alterations at the hands of Bickersteth in his Psalms & Hymns, 1833; Elliott in his Psalms & Hymns, 1835, and others. The most important is Bickersteth's rendering of stanza iv.:—

"There, anchor'd safe, my weary soul
Shall find eternal rest,
Nor storms shall beat, nor billows roll,
Nor fears assail my breast."

It is hard to see that this is an improvement upon Watts's original:—

"There shall I bathe my weary soul
In seas of heavenly rest,
And not a wave of trouble roll
Across my peaceful breast."

The original text of the whole hymn, as in the Hymnal Companion, is that most commonly used Miller (Singers and Songs, 1869, p. 140) points out that the opening lines of the hymn,—

"When I can read my title clear
To mansions in the skies,"

are used by Cowper in his poem on Truth (published in 1782), in his comparison of the lot of "Voltaire and that of the poor and believing cottager, who

”Just knows, and knows no more, her Bible true—
A truth the brilliant Frenchman never knew:
And in that charter reads with sparkling eyes,
Her title to a treasure in the skies."

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Timeline

Instances

Instances (1101 - 1200 of 1223)

The Social Harp. Rev. #d418

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The Social Psalmist #348

The Soldier's Hymn Book #d68

The Soldier's Hymn Book #d67

The Soldier's Manual of Devotion, or Book of Common Prayer 2d ed. #d91

The Soldier's Pocket Book #d26

The Song Book of the Salvation Army #325

The Song Evangel #d236

The Song Evangel #ad236

The Song Service, a Manual of Choice and Favorite Hymns #d125

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The Song Victor for the Sunday School and Public School Use #65b

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The Song-Land Way #122

The Soul Winner's Hallelujah Songs #d35

The South Western Psalmist #d431

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The Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion (New ed. thoroughly rev. and much enl.) #27b

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The Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion (New ed. thoroughly rev. and much enl.) #104

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The Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion (New ed. thoroughly rev. and much enl.) #250

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The Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion (New ed. thoroughly rev. and much enl.) #293b

The Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion. New ed. #d118

The Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion. New ed. #104

The Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion. New ed. #250

The Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion. New ed. #293b

The Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion… #27b

The Southern Psalmist #d930

The Southern Psalmist. New ed. #d979

The Southern Zion's Songster #d112

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The Spirit of Praise #150

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The Springfield Collection of Hymns for Sacred Worship #266

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The Standard Church Hymnal #448

The Star of the East #d197

The Supplement to "The Century Gospel Songs" #d142

The Tabernacle Chorus #d185

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The Tabernacle Chorus (Trinity ed.) #188

The Temple Harp #d383

The Thanksgiving #d269

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The Tribute of Praise and Methodist Protestant Hymn Book #661

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The Tribute of Praise #661

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The Tribute of Praise #655

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The Union Harp #31

The Union Harp and Revival Chorister. Rev ed. #d459

The Union Singing Book #d132

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The Union Singing Book #100

The Vestry Harp #d200

The Vestry Hymn and Tune Book #d520

The Vestry Hymn Book #d526

The Village Hymn book #d293

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The Virginia Selection of Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs #444

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The Voice of melody #53

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The Voice of melody #60b

The Voice of Praise #d293

The Voice of Praise, a new collection #d115

The Voice of Praise, a new collection #d150

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The Voice of Praise #685

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The Voice of Triumph (19th ed.) #259

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The Welcome Voice #37

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The Welcome Voice #94

The Wesleyan Harp, a Collection of Hymns and Tunes Suitable for Social Worship. 1st ed. #d143

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The Wesleyan Methodist Hymnal #278

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The Wesleyan Psalmist, or Songs of Canaan #4

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The Wesleyan Psalmist, or Songs of Canaan #34

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The Wesleyan Sacred Harp #96

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The Wesleyan Sacred Harp #81

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The Wesleyan Sacred Harp #96

The Western Harp #d242

The Westminster Collection of Sabbath School Hymns and Tunes #d128

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The Worshiping Church #681

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The Wreath of Gems #116

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The Y. M. Christian Association Hymn-Book, with Tunes. #43

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The Young People's Chorister #72

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The Young People's Chorister #160

The Zion Songster No. 2 #52

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The Zion Songster Nos. 1 and 2 Combined #Z52

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Timeless Truths #690

Times of Refreshing #d205

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Times of Refreshing #174

Times of Refreshing #d258

Tribute of Praise #d122

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Tried and True #37

Triumphant Joy #d270

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Triumphant Songs No.1 #150

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Triumphant Songs No.2 #91

Triune Hymnal #d185

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Truth and Hope #185

Truth and Hope No. 2 #d176

Two Hundred and Fifty-two Familiar Hymns #d167

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Union Harp and History of Songs #8

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Union Harp and History of Songs #43

Union Hymns #d435

Union Hymns. Rev. #d460

Union Hymns. Rev. #d474

Union Prayer Meeting Hymns #d236

Union Prayer Meeting Hymns #d240

Universal Songs and Hymns #134

Universalist Hymn Book #d618

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University Hymns #194

Pages

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