Now to the Lord that makes us know. I. Watts. [Advent—Praise.] First published in his Hymns, &c, 1st edition, 1707, in 5 stanzas of 4 lines, and entitled "Christ our High Priest and King: and Christ coming to Judgment." Its use outside the Nonconformist bodies has been limited. Original text in modern editions of Watts. It has been said that John Mason's Song of Praise, No. 33, on Rev. i., 1-12, suggested this hymn to Watts. The resemblance, however, is confined to the subject alone. In the Scottish Draft Translations and Paraphrases of 1745, No. xlv. is thus composed:—stanzas i.—iii., based on the above, by Watts, and stanza iv. original, the opening line being, “To Him that lov'd the Souls of Men." In the Drafts of 1751 and 1781 it was repeated without alteration, and was finally authorized as No. lxiv. in the Translations and Paraphrases of 1781, again without change. It thus holds the unique position of being the only paraphrase of the Draftof 1745 which passed without alteration into the authorized work of 1781. It has been in use in the Church of Scotland for more than 100 years, and is also included in a limited number of modern hymnals both in Great Britain and America. Its authorship, as distinct from Watts, is unknown. The statement that it is due to J. Morison has been made in ignorance of the fact that it was in print in its present form some four years before his birth.
--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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