We love thee, Lord, and we adore;
Now is thine arm revealed:
Thou art our strength, our heav'nly tower,
Our bulwark, and our shield.
We fly to our eternal Rock,
And find a sure defence;
His holy name our lips invoke,
And draw salvation thence.
When God, our Leader, shines in arms,
What mortal heart can bear
The thunder of his loud alarms,
The lightning of his spear?
He rides upon the winged wind,
And angels in array
In millions wait to know his mind,
And swift as flames obey.
He speaks, and at his fierce rebuke
Whole armies are dismayed;
His voice, his frown, his angry look,
Strikes all their courage dead.
He forms our generals for the field,
With all their dreadful skill;
Gives them his awful sword to wield,
And makes their hearts of steel.
[He arms our captains to the fight,
(Though there his name's forgot;
He girded Cyrus with his might,
But Cyrus knew him not.)
Oft has the Lord whole nations blessed
For his own church's sake;
The powers that give his people rest,
Shall of his care partake.]
Source: Psalms and Hymns of Isaac Watts, The #Ps.41
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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