This Isaac Watts (I love Isaac Watts for the record) hymn is based on the second half of Psalm 72, which includes the words (in verse 17), “His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.” If you’re interested in how the language of the sun traveling (running successive journeys) jives with modern science, then read about solar orbit HERE. The ‘Solar Orbit’ post has received very little traffic, but it is actually one of my favorite posts, and I refer to it fairly regularly in conversation as an example of how scientific opinion is always changing.
This version is not great. It is a song that is meant to be sung by congregations more than individuals, but it’s the best I could find that included the lyrics.
I knew the hymn, but have not heard it in a long time. I wonder if it is in the Trinity Hymnal. Do you know?
It is; #441. We sang it at DeKalb Pres last Sunday.
Thanks for including these hymns on Sundays. My family and I are trying to build a tradition to sing hymns within our home, but without any history in doing such within our own lives or the lives of those immediately around us, it is a bit of a stumbly exercise right now. These hymn suggestions help.
I’ll keep posting them. I was not raised in a Christian home and had zero experience with the church when I became a Christian at 19. I’m in my early 30s now and I still learn new hymns all the time; and these hymns that people have been singing for so many years are brand new to me. We sang one today that I had never heard before as a matter of fact.
I see. For myself, I was raised in a church that focused almost entirely on contemporary music. When I cam to really discover and appreciate hymns, I found there to simply be more to immerse myself in than the 7-11 music I had grown up with. (7 verses, sung 11 times.)