Galatians 6:14
Words by Isaac Watts, 1674-1748
Music From a Gregorian Chant
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This hymn by Isaac Watts, labeled by the well-known
theologian Matthew Arnold as the greatest hymn in the
English language, was written in 1707 for use at a
communion service conducted by Watts. It first appeared in
print that same year in Watts's outstanding collection,
Hymns and Spiritual Songs. Its original title was
"Crucifixion to the World by the Cross of Christ."
Isaac Watts was born on July 17, 1674, in Southampton,
England. The eldest of nine children, he was the son of an
educated deacon in a dissenting Congregational church. At
the time of Isaac's birth, his father was in prison for
his non-conformist beliefs. Young Watts showed an unusual
aptitude for study and learned Latin at the age of five,
Greek at nine, French at eleven and Hebrew at thirteen. He
began to write verses of good quality when he was very
young.
Watts is frequently referred to as the father of English
hymnody. One of his early concerns was the deplorable
state to which congregational singing had degenerated in
most English-speaking churches. The singing consisted of
slow, ponderous Psalms in which each line was first read
by an appointed deacon and was followed by the droning of
the congregation. The texts of these Psalm-hymns were
often crude and inelegant. Typical doggeral of the time is
this:
Ye monsters of the bubbling deep, your Master's priases
spout; Up from the sands ye coddlings peep, and wag your
tails about.
Watts once wrote, "The singing of God's praise is the part
of worship most closely related to heaven; but its
performance among us is the worst on earth." One Sunday
after returning from a typically poor service, Watts
continued to rail against the congregational singing. His
father exclaimed, "Why don't you give us something better,
young man!" Before the evening service began, young Isaac
had written his first hymn, which was received with great
enthusiasm by the people.
The youthful poet decided to write other hymn settings.
For a period of two years Watts wrote a new hymn every
Sunday. He went on to write new metrical versions of the
Psalms with a desire to "Christianize the Psalms with the
New Testament message and style." Several of his hymns
that were based on these new Psalm settings are such
favorites as "Jesus Shall Reign" and "O God, Our
Help in Ages Past". Watts is also the author of a
children's hymn, "I Sing the Mighty Power of God". Because of this bold departure from the traditional
Psalms, Isaac Watts was often considered to be a radical
churchman in his day.
Isaac Watts is also the author of "Am I a Soldier of the
Cross?", and "Joy to the
World!".
Watts not only rewrote the Psalms in this way, but he also
wrote a number of hymns based solely on personal feelings.
These hymns were known as hymns of human composure. Such
hymns were very controversial during his lifetime. "When I
Survey the Wondrous Cross" is an example of this type of
hymn written by Watts. In all Isaac Watts composed more
than 600 hymns.
The tune for this text is known as the "Hamburg" tune. It
was the work of Lowell Mason, who was often called the
father of American public school and church music. Mason
stated that he arranged this tune in 1824 from an ancient
Gregorian chant, the earliest church music known. These
church chants were inherited by the early Christians from
the Hebrew Temple and Synagogue services. They represent
some of the loveliest melodies known. Pope Gregory, who
lived during the latter part of the sixth century, was one
of the first church leaders to be concerned about church
music. He did much to improve and organize these chants,
hence the term "Gregorian Chants." These chants still form
the basic of Roman Catholic church music today. The
"Hamburg" tune first appeared in the Boston's Handel and
Haydn Society Collection of Church Music in 1825. It is
interesting to note that the entire melody encompasses
only a five note range.
Other hymns composed by Lowell Mason include "From
Greenland's Icy Mountains", "Nearer My God, to
Thee", "A Charge to Keep I Have", "Joy to the World!", "My
Faith Looks Up to Thee", and "O Day of
Rest and Gladness".
Quoted from "101 Hymn Stories" by Kenneth Osbeck. Kregel Publishers, P.O. Box 2607, Grand Rapids, MI 49501, 1982.
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