Give to our God immortal praise. I. Watts. [Ps. cxxxvi.] This L.M. version of Ps. 136 appeared in his Psalms of David in 1719, in 8 stanzas of 4 lines. In modern collections we find it given thus:—
1. The original in the New Congregational Hymn Book, No. 227; Spurgeon's Our Own Hymn Book, No. 136, and others; and in the Baptist Psalms & Hymns, 1858-80, No. 8, with stanza v., line 1, "Israel" for "The Jews" of the original.
2. A cento composed of stanzas i., iv., vii. and viii. This was given in Cotterill's Selection, 1810-19, and from thence has passed into numerous collections, including Windle, Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge Psalms & Hymns, and Stevenson's Hymns for Church & Home, amongst modern hymnals, with slight variations in the refrain. This is the most popular form of the hymn.
3. A cento combining stanzas i.-iv. and vii., viii. This appeared in Conyers's Collection, 1161, and amongst later hymnals the Leeds Hymn Book, 1853, the Islington Psalms & Hymns, Kemble's New Church Hymn Book, and other collections. This form is also in use in America.
--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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