I find myself attracted very much to Isaac Watts. I first knew him as a hymn writer, then as a great thinker.  Why I should have thought that great thinkers do not write marvelous hymns I know not.   But as I read about Watt’s contribution to rationality and logic – his books were standard texts on logic for over a hundred years in British universities – I could barely believe that he was the man who wrote hymns that moved me mightily, like this four-stanza hymn that I loved dearly, a precious hymn that helped shape my thinking and my spirituality as a missionary through the years.

A note: Watts wrote this as Western Europe and England were experiencing an interest in missions as never before.  It was early in the 1700’s.  Also, I find it interesting that Watts wrote about 750 hymns, many with a missionary call.  I find the first verse of our hymn for today resonates with the call to spread the Gospel of Jesus to all the world, and at home as well, of course.

The heav’ns declare Thy glory, Lord,
In every star Thy wisdom shines
But when our eyes behold Thy Word,
We read Thy Name in fairer lines.

Sun, moon, and stars convey Thy praise
Round the whole earth, and never stand:
So when Thy truth begun its race,
It touched and glanced on every land.

Nor shall Thy spreading Gospel rest
Till through the world Thy truth has run,
Till Christ has all the nations blest
That see the light or feel the sun.

Great Sun of Righteousness, arise,
Bless the dark world with heav’nly light;
Thy Gospel makes the simple wise,
Thy laws are pure, Thy judgments right.