We give immortal praise

We give immortal praise. Isaac Watts* (1674-1748). This is the 13th of 20 doxologies in Hymns and Spiritual Songs (Second Edition, 1709), Book III, ‘Prepared for the holy Ordinance of the Lord’s Supper’ with the title, ‘A Song of Praise to the Blessed Trinity.’ It is written in the metre of the ‘Old 148th’, the popular metre of 6.6.6.6.44.44 used in the ‘Old Version’* of the Psalms. It began ‘I give…’. The change to ‘We’ was made by George Whitefield*, and is found in his Psalms and Hymns (1753). It seems to have been retained in all subsequent hymnbooks. It is not simply a hymn of praise, but also a fine and clear statement of the redemptive work of the Trinity: the gifts of the Father’s...