Scripture Verse

Do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, We have Abraham for our father; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. Matthew 3:9

Introduction

portrait
Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Words: Is­aac Watts, Hymns and Spir­it­ual Songs, Book 1, 1707, num­ber 99. Stones made child­ren of Ab­ra­ham.

Music: York. Me­lo­dy from the Scot­tish Psal­ter, 1615. Har­mo­ny by John Mil­ton, Sr. (1562–1647) (🔊 pdf nwc).

Lyrics

Vain are the hopes that re­bels place
Upon their birth and blood,
Descended from a pi­ous race;
Their fa­thers now with God.

He from the caves of earth and hell
Can take the hard­est stones
And fill the house of Ab­ra’m well
With new-cre­at­ed sons.

Such won­drous pow­er doth He pos­sess
Who formed our mor­tal frame,
Who called the world from emp­ti­ness,
The world ob­eyed and came.

illustration
Saint John the Baptist and the Pharisees