Am I a Soldier of the Cross

411 Am I a Soldier of the Cross

1. Am I a soldier of the cross,
   a follower of the Lamb,
   and shall I fear to own his cause,
   or blush to speak his name?

2. Must I be carried to the skies
   on flowery beds of ease,
   while others fought to win the prize,
   and sailed through bloody seas?

3. Are there no foes for me to face?
   Must I not stem the flood?
   Is this vile world a friend to grace,
   to help me on to God?

4. Sure I must fight, if I would reign;
   increase my courage, Lord.
   I'll bear the toil, endure the pain,
   supported by thy word.
                         Isaac Watts
                         Hymns for the Family of God

<idle musing>
I find it hard to believe that I haven't posted this one yet, but a search comes up blank. Apparently, even though it occurs in nearly 2000 hymnals, it didn't make its way into a (non African) Methodist one until 1989! Be that as it may, here are two more verses that are pretty common:

5. Thy saints in all this glorious war
   shall conquer, though they die;
   they see the triumph from afar,
   by faith they bring it nigh.

6. When that illustrious day shall rise,
   and all thy armies shine
   in robes of victory through the skies,
   the glory shall be thine.

</idle musing>

Begin, My Tongue, Some Heavenly Theme

328 Begin, My Tongue, Some Heavenly Theme

1 Begin, my tongue, some heavenly theme,
   And speak some boundless thing;
   The mighty works, or mightier name,
   Of our eternal King.

2 Tell of his wondrous faithfulness,
   And sound his power abroad;
   Sing the sweet promise of his grace,
   And the performing God.

3 His very word of grace is strong
   As that which built the skies;
   The voice that rolls the stars along
   Speaks all the promises.

4 O might I hear the heav’nly tongue
   But whisper, Thou art Mine!
   Those gentle words shall raise my song
   To notes almost divine.
                         Isaac Watts
                         Hymns for the Family of God

<idle musing>
I wasn't familiar with this Isaac Watts hymn, which occurs in about 300 hymnals. And, oh my!, the variations. As usual, Cyberhymnal has the fullest listing of verses:

3. Proclaim salvation from the Lord
   For wretched, dying men;
   His hand has writ the sacred Word
   With an immortal pen.

4. Engraved as in eternal brass
   The mighty promise shines;
   Nor can the powers of darkness rase
   Those everlasting lines.

5. He that can dash whole worlds to death,
   And make them when He please,
   He speaks, and that almighty breath
   Fulfils His great decrees.

7. He said, Let the wide heav’n be spread,
   And heav’n was stretched abroad:
   Abram, I’ll be thy God, He said,
   And He was Abram’s God.

9. How would my leaping heart rejoice,
   And think my heav’n secure!
   I trust the all-creating voice,
   And faith desires no more.

</idle musing>

Join All the Glorious Names

232 Join All the Glorious Names

1. Join all the glorious names
   Of wisdom, love, and power,
   That ever mortals knew,
   That angels ever bore:
   All are too mean to speak His worth,
   To poor to set my Savior forth.

2. Great prophet of my God,
   My tongue would bless Thy name,
   By Thee the joyful news
   Of our salvation came,
   The joyful news of sin forgiv’n
   Of hell subdued, and peace with Heav’n.

3. Divine, almighty Lord,
   My conqueror and my King,
   Thy scepter and Thy sword,
   Thy reigning grace I sing:
   Thine is the power; behold I sit
   In willing bonds beneath Thy feet.

4. Now let my soul arise,
   And tread the tempter down;
   My captain leads me forth
   To conquest and a crown:
   A feeble saint shall win the day,
   Though death and hell obstruct the way.
                         Isaac Watts
                         Hymns for the Family of God

<idle musing>
This one has a lot more verses! Hymnary.org has them:

2. But O what gentle terms,
   What condescending ways,
   Doth our Redeemer use
   To teach his heav’nly grace!
   Mine eyes with joy and wonder see
   What forms of love He bears for me.

3. Arrayed in mortal flesh,
   He like an angel stands,
   And holds the promises
   And pardons in His hands;
   Commissioned from His Father’s throne
   To make His grace to mortals known.

5. Be Thou my counselor,
   My pattern, and my guide,
   And through this desert land
   Still keep me near thy side:
   Nor let my feet e’er run astray
   Nor rove nor seek the crooked way.

6. I love my Shepherd’s voice,
   His watchful eyes shall keep
   My wand’ring soul among
   The thousands of His sheep:
   He feeds His flock, He calls their names,
   His bosom bears the tender lambs.

7. To this dear surety’s hand
   Will I commit my cause;
   He answers and fulfils
   His Father’s broken laws:
   Behold my soul at freedom set!
   My surety paid the dreadful debt.

8. Jesus, my great high priest,
   Offered His blood, and died;
   My guilty conscience seeks
   No sacrifice beside:
   His powerful blood did once atone,
   And now it pleads before the throne.

9. My advocate appears
   For my defense on high;
   The Father bows His ears,
   And lays His thunder by:
   Not all that hell or sin can say
   Shall turn His heart, His love away.

12. Should all the hosts of death,
   And powers of hell unknown,
   Put their most dreadful forms
   Of rage and mischief on,
   I shall be safe, for Christ displays
   Superior power, and guardian grace.

</idle musing>

My Shepherd Will Supply My Need

66 My Shepherd Will Supply My Need

1 My Shepherd, you supply my need,
   most holy is your name;
   in pastures fresh you make me feed,
   beside the living stream.
   You bring my wand'ring spirit back.
   when I forsake your ways;
   you lead me, for your mercy's sake,
   in paths of truth and grace.

2 When through the shades of death I walk,
   your presence is my stay;
   one word of your supporting breath
   drives all my fears away.
   Your hand in sight of all my foes,
   does still my table spread;
   my cup with Blessings overflows,
   your oil anoints my head.

3 Your sure provisions gracious God
   attend me all my days;
   oh, may your house be my abode,
   and all my work be praise.
   Here would I find a settled rest,
   while others go and come;
   no more a stranger, nor a guest,
   but like a child at home.
                         Isaac Watts
                         Hymns for the Family of God

The heavens declare thy glory, Lord

365 The heavens declare thy glory, Lord

1 The heavens declare thy glory, Lord
   In every star thy wisdom shines;
   But, in the volume of thy word,
   We read thy name in fairer lines.

2 Sun, moon, and stars, convey thy praise
   Round the whole earth and never stand;
   So, when thy truth began its race,
   It touch'd and glanc'd on every land.

3 Nor let thy spreading gospel rest,
   Till thro' the earth thy truth has run,
   Till it has all the nations blest,
   That see the light or feel the sun.

4 Great God of righteousness, arise,
   Bless the dark world with heavenly light,
   Thy gospel makes the simple wise,
   Thy laws are pure, thy judgment right.

5 Thy noblest wonders here we view,
   In souls renew'd and sins forgiven,
   Lord, cleanse our sins, our souls renew,
   And make thy word our guide to heaven.

6 Thy noblest wonders here we view.
   In souls renewed and sins forgiven:
   Lord, cleanse my sins, my soul renew.
   And make thy word my guide to heaven.
                         Isaac Watts
                         The Methodist Hymnal, 1964 edition

Am I a Soldier of the Cross (Isaac Watts)

239 Am I a Soldier of the Cross

1 Am I a soldier of the cross,
   a foll'wer of the Lamb,
   and shall I fear to own His cause,
   or blush to speak His name?

2 Must I be carried to the skies
   on flow'ry beds of ease,
   while others fought to win the prize,
   and sailed thro' bloody seas?

3 Are there no foes for me to face?
   Must I not stem the flood?
   Is this vile world a friend to grace,
   to help me on to God?

4 Sure I must fight, if I would reign;
   increase my courage, Lord!
   I'll bear the toil, endure the pain,
   supported by Thy word.

5 The saints in all this glorious war
   shall conquer, though they die;
   they see the triumph from afar
   by faith's discerning eye.

6 When that illustrious day shall rise,
   and all Thine armies shine
   in robes of vict'ry thro' the skies,
   the glory shall be Thine.
                         Isaac Watts
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1964 edition

Let All on Earth Their Voices Raise

39 Let All on Earth Their Voices Raise

1 Let all the earth their voices raise,
   To sing the choicest psalm of praise,
   To sing and bless Jehovah's name;
   His glory let the heathens know,
   His wonders to the nations shew,
   And all his saving works proclaim.

2 He fram'd the Globe, he built the sky,
   He made the shining words on high,
   And reigns compleat in glory there
   His beams are majesty and light;
   His beauties, how divinely bright!
   His temple, how divinely fair.

3 Come the great day, the glorious hour,
   When earth shall feel his saving pow'r,
   And barb'rous nations fear his name:
   Then shall the race of men confess
   The beauty of his holiness,
   And in his courts his grace proclaim.
                         Isaac Watts
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1964 edition

<idle musing>
Hymnary.org inserts a fourth verse:

2 The Heathens know thy glory, Lord;
   The wond'ring nations read thy word
   the nations have Jehovah known:
   Our worship shall no more be paid
   To Gods which mortal hands have made,
   Our maker is our God alone.

</idle musing>

I Sing the Mighty Power of God

37 I Sing the Mighty Power of God

1. I sing the almighty power of God,
   that made the mountains rise,
   that spread the flowing seas abroad,
   and built the lofty skies.
   I sing the wisdom that ordained
   the sun to rule the day;
   the moon shines full at God's command,
   and all the stars obey.

2. I sing the goodness of the Lord,
   who filled the earth with food,
   who formed the creatures thru the Word,
   and then pronounced them good.
   Lord, how thy wonders are displayed,
   where'er I turn my eye,
   if I survey the ground I tread,
   or gaze upon the sky.

3. There's not a plant or flower below,
   but makes thy glories known,
   and clouds arise, and tempests blow,
   by order from thy throne;
   while all that borrows life from thee
   is ever in thy care;
   and everywhere that we can be,
   thou, God, art present there.
                         Isaac Watts
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1964 edition

<idle musing>
There are various additional verses to this. Hymnary.org adds this one:

4.In heav'n he shines with beams of love,
   With wrath in hell beneath:
   ’Tis on his earth I stand or move,
   And ’tis his air I breathe.
   His hand is my perpetual guard,
   He keeps me with His eye:
   Why should I then forget the Lord,
   Who is for ever nigh?

</idle musing>

Great God Attend, While Zion Sings

25 Great God Attend, While Zion Sings

1. Great God! Attend, while Zion sings
   The joy that from Thy presence springs;
   To spend one day with Thee on earth
   Exceeds a thousand days of mirth,
   Exceeds a thousand days of mirth.

2. Might I enjoy the meanest place
   Within Thy house, O God of grace,
   Nor tents of ease, nor thrones of power,
   Should tempt my feet to leave Thy door,
   Should tempt my feet to leave Thy door.

3. God is our sun, He makes our day;
   God is our shield; He guards our way
   From all the assaults of hell and sin,
   From foes without, from foes within,
   From foes without, from foes within.

4. O God, our king, whose sovereign sway
   The glorious hosts of Heaven obey,
   And devils at Thy presence flee,
   Blest is the man that trusts in Thee,
   Blest is the man that trusts in Thee.
                         Isaac Watts
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1964 edition

<idle musing>
Cyberhymnal inserts a verse:

4. All needful grace will God bestow,
   And crown that grace with glory too!
   He gives us all things, and withholds
   No real good from upright souls,
   No real good from upright souls.

</idle musing>

Before Jehovah's Awful Throne

22 Before Jehovah's Awful Throne

1 Before Jehovah's aweful throne,
   ye nations, bow with sacred joy;
   know that the Lord is God alone:
   he can create, and he destroy.

2 His sovereign power, without our aid,
   made us of clay, and formed us then;
   and, when like wandering sheep we strayed,
   he brought us to his fold again.

3 We'll crowd thy gates with thankful songs,
   high as the heavens our voices raise;
   and earth, with her ten thousand tongues,
   shall fill thy courts with sounding praise.

4 Wide as the world is thy command,
   vast as eternity thy love;
   firm as a rock thy truth must stand,
   when rolling years shall cease to move.
                         Isaac Watts
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1964 edition

I'll praise My Maker While I've Breath

9 I'll praise My Maker While I've Breath

1 I’ll praise my Maker with my breath,
   and when my voice is lost in death,
   praise shall employ my noblest pow'rs;
   my days of praise shall ne'er be past,
   while life, and thought, and being last,
   or immortality endures.

2 Happy the man whose hopes rely
   on Israel's God; He made the sky,
   and earth and seas, with all their train;
   His truth for ever stands secure;
   He saves th'oppressed, He feeds the poor,
   and none shall find His promise vain.

3 The Lord pours eye-sight on the blind;
   the Lord supports the fainting mind
   and sends the lab'ring conscience peace;
   He helps the stranger in distress,
   the widowed and the fatherless,
   and grants the pris'ner sweet release.

4 I’ll praise Him while He lends me breath;
   and when my voice is lost in death,
   praise shall employ my noblest pow'rs;
   my days of praise shall ne'er be past,
   while life and thought and being last,
   or immortality endures.
                         Isaac Watts
                         Alt. by John Wesley
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1964 edition

<idle musing>
Again, more verses are available:

2 Why should I make a man my trust?
   Princes must die and turn to dust;
   vain is the help of flesh and blood:
   their breath departs, their pomp and pow'r,
   and thoughts all vanish in an hour,
   nor can they make their promise good.

5 He loves His saints, He knows them well,
   but turns the wicked down to hell;
   thy God, O Zion, ever reigns;
   let every tongue, let every age,
   in this exalted work engage;
   praise Him in everlasting strains.

Come Ye That Love the Lord

5 Come, Ye That Love the Lord

1 Come, we that love the Lord,
   and let our joys be known;
   join in a song with sweet accord,
   and thus surround the throne.

2 Let those refuse to sing
   who never knew our God;
   but children of the heav'nly King
   may speak their joys abroad.

3 The hill of Zion yields
   a thousand sacred sweets
   before we reach the heav'nly fields,
   or walk the golden streets.

4 Then let our songs abound,
   and every tear be dry;
   we're marching through Emmanuel's ground
   to fairer worlds on high.
                         Isaac Watts
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1964 edition

<idle musing>
As is usual for an Isaac Watts hymn, there are plenty more verses; there's even a refrain in some versions. Here's what Cyberhymnal has

1. Come, we that love the Lord,
   And let our joys be known;
   Join in a song with sweet accord,
   Join in a song with sweet accord
   And thus surround the throne,
   And thus surround the throne.

Refrain
   We’re marching to Zion,
   Beautiful, beautiful Zion;
   We’re marching upward to Zion,
   The beautiful city of God.

2. The sorrows of the mind
   Be banished from the place;
   Religion never was designed
   Religion never was designed,
   To make our pleasures less,
   To make our pleasures less. [Refrain]

3. Let those refuse to sing,
   Who never knew our God;
   But favorites of the heavenly King,
   But favorites of the heavenly King
   May speak their joys abroad,
   May speak their joys abroad. [Refrain]

4. The God that rules on high,
   And thunders when He please,
   Who rides upon the stormy sky,
   Who rides upon the stormy sky,
   And manages the seas,
   And manages the seas. [Refrain]

5. This awful God is ours,
   Our Father and our Love;
   He will send down his heav’nly powers,
   He will send down his heav’nly powers,
   To carry us above,
   To carry us above. [Refrain]

6. There we shall see His face,
   And never, never sin!
   There, from the rivers of His grace,
   There, from the rivers of His grace,
   Drink endless pleasures in,
   Drink endless pleasures in. [Refrain]

7. Yea, and before we rise,
   To that immortal state,
   The thoughts of such amazing bliss,
   The thoughts of such amazing bliss,
   Should constant joys create,
   Should constant joys create. [Refrain]

8. The men of grace have found,
   Glory begun below.
   Celestial fruits on earthly ground
   Celestial fruits on earthly ground
   From faith and hope may grow,
   From faith and hope may grow. [Refrain]

9. The hill of Zion yields
   A thousand sacred sweets
   Before we reach the heav’nly fields,
   Before we reach the heav’nly fields,
   Or walk the golden streets,
   Or walk the golden streets. [Refrain]

10. Then let our songs abound,
   And every tear be dry;
   We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground,
   We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground,
   To fairer worlds on high,
   To fairer worlds on high. [Refrain]

</idle musing>

To God the only wise

618 Old 134th (St. Michael). S. M.

1 To God the only wise,
   our Savior and our King,
   let all the saints below the skies
   their humble praises bring.

2 To our Redeemer God
   wisdom and pow'r belongs,
   immortal crowns of majesty,
   and everlasting songs.
                         Isaac Watts
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
Not one of Isaac Watts better know hymns. It occurs in about 350 hymnals. This hymn isn't in the regular part of the Methodist hymnal, but in the Responses section, which is probably why it only has the first and last verse. Hymnary.org adds three verses:

2 ’Tis His almighty love,
   His counsel and His care,
   preserves us safe from sin and death,
   and ev'ry hurtful snare.

3 He will present our souls
   unblemished and complete,
   before the glory of His face,
   with joys divinely great.

4 Then all the chosen seed
   shall meet around the throne,
   shall bless the conduct of His grace,
   And make His wonders known.

</idle musing>

O God our help in ages past

533 St. Anne. C. M.

1 O God, our Help in ages past,
   Our Hope for years to come,
   Our shelter from the stormy blast,
   And our eternal Home!

2 Under the shadow of Thy throne
   Still may we dwell secure;
   Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
   And our defense is sure.

3 Before the hills in order stood,
   Or earth received her frame,
   From everlasting Thou art God,
   To endless years the same.

4 A thousand ages, in Thy sight,
   Are like an evening gone;
   Short as the watch that ends the night,
   Before the rising sun.

5 O God. our Help in ages past,
   Our Hope for years to come,
   Be Thou our Guide while life shall last,
   And our eternal Home.
                         Isaac Watts
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
A nice rousing Isaac Watts hymn! I didn't realize that there were so many different variations in this hymn. As usual, Cyberhymnal has the most:

4. Thy Word commands our flesh to dust,
   Return, ye sons of men:
   All nations rose from earth at first,
   And turn to earth again.

6. The busy tribes of flesh and blood,
   With all their lives and cares,
   Are carried downwards by the flood,
   And lost in following years.

7. Time, like an ever rolling stream,
   Bears all its sons away;
   They fly, forgotten, as a dream
   Dies at the opening day.

8. Like flowery fields the nations stand
   Pleased with the morning light;
   The flowers beneath the mower’s hand
   Lie withering ere ‘tis night.

</idle musing>

I'll praise my Maker, whilst I've breath

513 Old 113th (Lucerne). 6. 8. 8. 8. 8. 8.

1 I'll praise my Maker, whilst I've breath;
   And, when my voice is lost in death,
   Praise shall employ my nobler pow'rs.
   My days of praise shall ne'er be past
   Whilst life and thought and being last,
   or immortality endures.

2 Happy the man, whose hopes rely
   on Israel's God, who made the sky
   and earth and seas with all their train.
   His truth for ever stands secure,
   He saves th' oppress'd, he feeds the poor;
   And none shall find his promise vain.

3 The Lord pours eye-sight on the blind;
   the Lord supports the fainting mind
   and sends the lab'ring conscience peace;
   He helps the stranger in distress,
   the widowed and the fatherless,
   and grants the pris'ner sweet release.

4 I'll praise him, while he lends me breath;
   And, when my voice is lost in death,
   Praise shall employ my nobler pow'rs.
   My days of praise shall ne'er be past
   Whilst life and thought and being last,
   or immortality endures.
                         Isaac Watts
                         Alt. by John Wesley
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
I always find it ironic that John Wesley put in the foreword to his hymnals that no one was to tamper with the words of any song he or Charles had written—yet he was only too ready to modify the work of others!

This hymn has a couple of other verses. I'm not sure how much is original to Watts and how much is Wesley's alterations. You can research to your heart's delight by going here.

2 Why should I make a man my trust?
   Princes must die and turn to dust;
   Vain is the help of flesh and blood;
   Their breath departs, their pomp and power
   And thoughts all vanish in an hour,
   Nor can they make their promise good.

5 He loves his saints, he knows them well,
   But turns the wicked down to hell;
   Thy God, O Zion ever reigns:
   Let every tongue, let every age,
   In this exalted work engage:
   Praise him in everlasting strains.

</idle musing>

Jesus shall reign where'er the sun

479 Duke Street. L. M.

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.

2 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.

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

4 Let every creature rise and bring
   the highest honors to our King,
   angels descend with songs again,
   and earth repeat the loud amen.
                         Isaac Watts
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
This Watts hymn is in over 1700 hymnals and some insert a verse after verse 3:

4 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.

</idle musing>

Give me the wings of faith to rise

424 St. Peter. C. M.

1 Give me the wings of faith to rise
   Within the veil and see
   The saints above, how great their joys,
   How bright their glories be.

2 I ask them whence their victory came,
   They with united breath,
   Ascribe their conquest to the Lamb,
   Their triumph to his death.

3 They marked the footsteps that he trod,
   (His zeal inspired their breast);
   And following their incarnate God,
   Possess the promised rest.

4 Our glorious Leader claims our praise
   For his own pattern given;
   While the long cloud of witnesses
   Shows the same path to heaven.
                         Isaac Watts
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
This Watts hymn only occurs in a few more than 500 hymnals. Hymnary.org inserts a verse after verse 1:

2 Once they were mourning here below,
   And wet their couch with tears;
   They wrestled hard, as we do now,
   With sins, and doubts, and fears.

</idle musing>

Come, we that love the Lord

227 St. Thomas. S. M.

1 Come, we that love the Lord,
   and let our joys be known;
   join in a song with sweet accord,
   and thus surround the throne.

2 Let those refuse to sing
   who never knew our God;
   but children of the heav'nly King
   may speak their joys abroad.

3 The hill of Zion yields
   a thousand sacred sweets
   before we reach the heav'nly fields,
   or walk the golden streets.

4 Then let our songs abound,
   and every tear be dry;
   we're marching through Emmanuel's ground
   to fairer worlds on high.
                         Isaac Watts
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

Come, Holy Spirit

172 St. Martin's. C. M.

1 Come, Holy Spirit, heav'nly Dove,
   With all Thy quick'ning pow'rs;
   Kindle a flame of sacred love
   In these cold hearts of ours.

2 In vain we tune our formal songs,
   In vain we strive to rise;
   Hosannas languish on our tongues,
   And our devotion dies.

3 And shall we then forever live
   At this poor dying rate?
   Our love so faint, so cold to Thee,
   And Thine to us so great!

4 Come, Holy Spirit, heav'nly Dove,
   With all Thy quick'ning pow'rs;
   Come, shed abroad the Savior’s love
   And that shall kindle ours.
                         Isaac Watts
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

When I survey the wondrous cross

148 Eucharist. L. M.

1 When I survey the wondrous cross
   on which the Prince of glory died,
   my richest gain I count but loss,
   and pour contempt on all my pride.

2 Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast
   save in the death of Christ, my God!
   All the vain things that charm me most,
   I sacrifice them through his blood.

3 See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
   sorrow and love flow mingled down.
   Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
   or thorns compose so rich a crown?

4 Were the whole realm of nature mine,
   that were a present far too small.
   Love so amazing, so divine,
   demands my soul, my life, my all.
                        Isaac Watts
                        The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
A classic Watts hymn; according to hymnary.org it occurs in 1960 hymnals! And it has been translated into numerous languages.
</idle musing>