A Psalm for the Lord's Day

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Sweet is the work, my God, my King

Author: Isaac Watts (1719)
Published in 772 hymnals

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Piano/Organ
	A Still, Small Voice (Reflective Hymn Se…

Instrumental
	FESTIVAL HYMNS AND PROCESSIONALS

Handbells
	Ride On!

Representative Text

1 Sweet is the work, my God, my King,
to praise thy name, give thanks and sing,
to show thy love by morning light,
and talk of all thy truth at night.

2 Sweet is the day of sacred rest,
no mortal cares disturb my breast;
O may my heart in tune be found,
like David's harp of solemn sound!

3 My heart shall triumph in the Lord,
and bless his works, and bless his word;
thy works of grace, how bright they shine,
how deep thy counsels, how divine!

4 And I shall share a glorious part,
when grace has well refined my heart,
and fresh supplies of joy are shed,
like holy oil, to cheer my head.

5 Then shall I see and hear and know
all I desired or wished below;
and every power find sweet employ
in that eternal world of joy.

Source: Ancient and Modern: hymns and songs for refreshing worship #786

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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:	Sweet is the work, my God, my King
Title:	A Psalm for the Lord's Day
Author:	Isaac Watts (1719)
Meter:	8.8.8.8
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

English

10 shown out of 453

Welsh

Small Church Music #4714

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Notes

Sweet is the work, my God, my [and] King. I. Watts. [Ps. xcii. or Sunday.] First published in his Psalms of David, &c, 1719, p. 237, in 7 stanzas of 4 lines, and headed, "A Psalm for the Lord's Day." In G. Whitefield's Hymns for Social Worship, &c, 1753, No. 20, stanzas i., ii., iii., vii. were given as "Sweet is the work, O God, our King." This was repeated in M. Madan's Psalms & Hymns., 1760, No. 105. A. M. Toplady gave the same stanzas in his Psalms & Hymns, 1776, as No. 34, but with other changes in some stanzas, and the opening line as “Sweet is the work, my God and King." This reading is found in some modern collections in the Church of England. Other arrangements of the text are given in hymnbooks in Great Britain and America. It is a good and popular hymn.

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

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Tune

CANONBURY

Derived from the fourth piano piece in Robert A. Schumann's Nachtstücke, Opus 23 (1839), CANONBURY first appeared as a hymn tune in J. Ireland Tucker's Hymnal with Tunes, Old and New (1872). The tune, whose title refers to a street and square in Islington, London, England, is often matched to Haver…

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