Watts, Isaac (1674-1748), an English clergyman, wrote more than 700 hymns and psalms. He also wrote theological treatises, volumes of sermons, and books on ethics, psychology, and teaching. He was considered one of the greatest preachers of his time.
Watts’s best hymns are notable for simplicity of poetic structure, apt use of figures of speech, and emotional vitality. A number of them still appear in most English hymnals. He wrote “Joy to the World,” “O God, Our Help in Ages Past,” “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” and “Jesus Shall Reign Where’er the Sun.” He adapted many Old Testament psalms to a Christian point of view. Watts was born on July 17, 1674, in Southampton, England. He died on Nov. 25, 1748.
