Isaac Watts grew up singing only metrical Psalms. He would continually complain to his father about how boring and meaningless they were to him. His father tired of his complaints, challenged him to write something better. The following week, the adolescent Isaac presented his first hymn to the church. Watts did not reject metrical Psalms; he simply wanted to see them more impassioned. “They ought to be translated in such a manner as we have reason to believe David would composed them if he had lived in our day” he wrote. This is one of the most popular hymns and was given in his Psalms of David, 1719, as Pt 2. of his version of Psalm 72_¹.

Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
does its successive journeys run,
his kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
till moons shall wax and wane no more.

To him shall endless prayer be made,
and praises throng to crown his head.
His name like sweet perfume shall rise
with every morning sacrifice.

People and realms of every tongue
dwell on his love with sweetest song,
and infant voices shall proclaim
their early blessings on his name.

Blessings abound where’er he reigns:
the prisoners leap to lose their chains,
the weary find eternal rest,
and all who suffer want are blest.

Let every creature rise and bring
the highest honors to our King,
angels descend with songs again,
and earth repeat the loud amen.

¹page 114 – Leeman, D. and Leeman, B., 2022. Our Hymns, Our Heritage: A Student Guide to Songs of the Church