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09/04/2020 |
Marching to
Zion
Isaac Watts |
Isaac
Watts’ father was Nonconformist imprisoned twice for his
religious views. Isaac learned Greek, Latin, and Hebrew
under Mr. Pinhorn, Rector of All Saints, and headmaster of
the Grammar School in Southampton. Isaac’s taste for verse
showed itself in early childhood, and his promise caused a
local doctor and other friends to offer him a university
education, assuming he would be ordained in the Church of
England. However, Isaac declined and instead entered a
Nonconformist Academy at Stoke Newington in 1690, under
the care of Thomas Rowe, pastor of the Independent
congregation at Girdlers’ Hall; Isaac joined this
congregation in 1693.
Watts
left the Academy at age 20 and spent two years at home; it was
during this period that he wrote the bulk of his
Hymns and Spiritual Songs. They
were sung from manuscripts in the Southampton Chapel, and
published 1707-1709.
The next six years of his life were again spent at Stoke
Newington, working as tutor to the son of eminent
Puritan John Hartopp. The intense study of these years is
reflected in the theological and philosophical
material he subsequently published.
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Robert Lowry |
Watts preached his first sermon
at age 24. In the next three years, he preached frequently, and in
1702 was ordained as pastor of the Independent congregation in
Mark Lane. At that time he moved into the house of a Mr. Hollis in the
Minories. His health began to fail the next year, and Samuel Price
was appointed as his assistant in the ministry. In 1712, a fever
shattered his constitution, and Price became co-pastor of the
congregation, which had moved to a new chapel in Bury Street. It
was at this time that Isaac became the guest of Sir Thomas Abney. He
lived with Abney (and later Abney’s widow) the rest of his life,
mainly at Theobalds in Hertfordshire, then for 13 years at Stoke
Newington.
The tune was written by Robert Lowry.
Lyrics by Isaac Watts
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Come, we that love the Lord,
And let our joys be known;
Join in a song with sweet accord,
Join in a song with sweet accord
And thus surround the throne,
And thus surround the throne.
Refrain
We’re marching to Zion,
Beautiful, beautiful Zion;
We’re marching upward to Zion,
The beautiful city of God.
The sorrows of the mind
Be banished from the place;
Religion never was designed
Religion never was designed,
To make our pleasures less,
To make our pleasures less.
Refrain
Let those refuse to sing,
Who never knew our God;
But favorites of the heavenly King,
But favorites of the heavenly King
May speak their joys abroad,
May speak their joys abroad.
Refrain
The God that rules on high,
And thunders when He please,
Who rides upon the stormy sky,
Who rides upon the stormy sky,
And manages the seas,
And manages the seas.
Refrain
This awful God is ours,
Our Father and our Love;
He will send down his heav’nly powers,
He will send down his heav’nly powers,
To carry us above,
To carry us above.
Refrain |
There we shall see His
face,
And never, never sin!
There, from the rivers of His grace,
There, from the rivers of His grace,
Drink endless pleasures in,
Drink endless pleasures in.
Refrain
Yea, and before we rise,
To that immortal state,
The thoughts of such amazing bliss,
The thoughts of such amazing bliss,
Should constant joys create,
Should constant joys create.
Refrain
The men of grace have
found,
Glory begun below.
Celestial fruits on earthly ground
Celestial fruits on earthly ground
From faith and hope may grow,
From faith and hope may grow.
Refrain
The hill of Zion yields
A thousand sacred sweets
Before we reach the heav’nly fields,
Before we reach the heav’nly fields,
Or walk the golden streets,
Or walk the golden streets.
Refrain
Then let our songs abound,
And every tear be dry;
We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground,
We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground,
To fairer worlds on high,
To fairer worlds on high.
Refrain
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