Colossians 3:16 encourages believers to speak to one another with psalms, hymns, spiritual songs making melody in their hearts unto the Lord. But first there must be a songwriter. Let me introduce you to one.
Dr. Isaac Watts (1706 A.D.) Isaac was a very extraordinary man, born and raised in England. As a boy, he learned Latin at 4, Greek at 9, French at 11 and Hebrew at 13. Brilliant mind, but as he grew, plagued with sickness, smallpox leaving his face scarred, frail and sickly all his adult life, small in stature barely 5’. His one shot at marriage was his love for a poetess, Elisabeth Singer, but she rejected him, saying “I love your soul, but I cannot live with your face.” Even though he was rejected and alone, his relationship with God was very strong. His father Isaac Watts Sr. was a preacher, a man of conviction, imprisoned for refusing to compromise his faith. Young Isaac grew up knowing that faith wasn’t a hobby, it was a fire, it was dangerous, it cost you something.
At 18, young Isaac was discouraged with the way his father’s congregation sang from only the psalms, as they sang them without heart, without rhythm, without joy. It was a dry, dusty murmur that felt more like a funeral dirge than a celebration of the King of kings! The tradition of the day was that only the EXACT WORDS of Scripture could be s ...
