Divine and Moral Songs for Children - Softcover

"Divine Songs," the first part of this collection, was published in 1715. It was several years later when the "Moral Songs" were added. Isaac Watts points to Ephesians 5:19, to “teach and admonish one another by hymns and songs,” as his motivation for writing the hymns. In the past, this song collection was very popular and the editions numbered in the hundreds. We are instructed by Isaac Watts, in his preface, to sing these songs with well-known psalm tunes that were popular in his day.

ISAAC WATTS (1674–1748) was born in Southampton, England. His father, a schoolmaster, was jailed twice for his non-conformist faith. Isaac attended Grammar School in Southampton and then a Nonconformist Academy at Stoke Newington. He was a preacher at 24 and gave himself to preaching and writing his entire life. He was an industrious hymn writer who wrote over 600 hymns, among many other works.