Scripture Verse

We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness. 1 Corinthians 1:23

Introduction

portrait
John B. Dykes (1823–1876)

Words: Is­aac Watts, Hymns and Spi­ri­tu­al Songs 1707–09, Book 2, num­ber 119. The dif­fer­ent suc­cess of the gos­pel.

Music: St. Ag­nes John B. Dykes, in Hym­nal for Use in the En­glish Church, by John Grey, 1866 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Lyrics

Christ and His cross is all our theme;
The mys­ter­ies that we speak
Are scan­dal in the Jew’s es­teem
And fol­ly to the Greek.

But souls en­light­ened from above
With joy re­ceive the word;
They see what wis­dom, pow­er, and love
Shine in their dy­ing Lord.

The vi­tal sa­vor of His name
Restores their faint­ing breath;
But un­belief per­verts the same
To guilt, des­pair, and death.

Till God dif­fuse His grac­es down,
Like show­ers of heav’n­ly rain,
In vain Apol­los sows the ground,
And Paul may plant in vain.