Today is another hymn written by Isaac Watts, who is known as the “father of English hymnody” and credited with over 500 songs, including “Joy to the World! The Lord Is Come,” “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” and “At the Cross (Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed).” Today’ we’ll worship with one of his lesser known but oh so good songs.’s hymn is called “How Sweet and Awful Is the Place”, written in 1707 and set it to an unnamed ancient Irish melody. Enjoy!
How sweet and aweful is the place
with Christ within the doors,
while everlasting love displays
the choicest of her stores.
While all our hearts and all our songs
join to admire the feast,
each of us cries, with thankful tongue,
“Lord, why was I a guest?
“Why was I made to hear Thy voice,
and enter while there’s room,
when thousands make a wretched choice
and rather starve than come?”
‘Twas the same love that spread the feast
that sweetly drew us in;
else we had still refused to taste,
and perished in our sin.
Pity the nations, O our God,
constrain the earth to come;
send Thy victorious Word abroad,
and bring the strangers home.
We long to see Thy churches full,
that all the chosen race
may, with one voice and heart and soul,
sing Thy redeeming grace.
Hymn of the Day 