Original Sin, or The First and Second Adam

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Adam our father and our head

Author: Isaac Watts
Tune: ALSTONE
Published in 42 hymnals

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Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

Adam, our father and our head,
Transgressed, and justice doomed us dead;
The fiery law speaks all despair:
There's no reprieve nor pardon there.

But, O unutterable grace
The Son of God takes Adam's place;
Down to our world the Savior flies,
Stretches his arms, and bleeds, and dies.

Justice was pleased to bruise the God,
And pay its wrongs with heav'nly blood:
What unknown racks and pangs he bore!
Then rose; the law could ask no more.

Amazing work! look down, ye skies,
Wonder and gaze with all your eyes;
Ye heav'nly thrones, stoop from above,
And bow to this mysterious love.

Lo! they adore th' incarnate Son,
And sing the glories he hath won;
Sing how he broke our iron chains,
How deep he suiik, how high he reigns!

Triumph and reign, victorious Lord,
By all the flaming hosts adored;
And say, dear Couqueror, say how long
Ere we shall rise to join their song.

Send down a chariot from above,
With fiery wheels, and paved with love
Raise us beyond th' ethereal blue,
To sing and love as angels do.

Source: The Psalms and Hymns of Dr. Watts #234

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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:	Adam our father and our head
Title:	Original Sin, or The First and Second Adam
Author:	Isaac Watts
Meter:	8.8.8.8
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

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Notes

Adam, our father and our head. I. Watts. [The Fall.] Appeared in his Horae Lyricae, 1706, in 13 stanzas of 4 lines, and entitled "Jesus the only Saviour." Its use as a complete hymn is unknown. A cento therefrom of 5 stanzas was given in Rippon's Baptist Selection, 1787, No. US, composed of stanzas i., ii., iv., v., and vii. This has passed into common use to a very limited extent.

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

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