Daily Verse
Monday, October 12, 2026
Worship
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Monday's Reflection
Psalm 40:3 — And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
Isaac Watts was a frail, small man, often in poor health, who lived quietly in England in the late 1600s and early 1700s. As a young man he complained to his father about the dull, lifeless singing in their church, where the congregation plodded through stiff, wooden versions of the psalms. His father challenged him: if he thought he could do better, let him try. So Watts began to write — and he did not stop. Over his lifetime he composed some seven hundred and fifty hymns, giving the church fresh, heartfelt words to lift to God. He is remembered today as the father of English hymnody.
His hymns are still sung across the world three centuries later. "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross," widely regarded as one of the greatest hymns ever written, came from his pen. So did "Joy to the World" and "O God, Our Help in Ages Past." What made Watts revolutionary was his conviction that worship should engage the heart, not just the voice — that the songs of God's people should overflow with genuine feeling and fresh expressions of praise. He wanted ordinary believers to sing not out of dull duty but out of living gratitude, with words that gave voice to what their hearts actually felt toward God.
The psalmist speaks of God putting a new song in his mouth — praise that is fresh, alive, springing from a heart that has experienced God's goodness. That is what Watts spent his life doing: helping God's people find their new song. And notice what the psalmist says results from that praise: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Genuine, heartfelt worship is itself a witness. When people see believers praising God with real joy, it draws them toward Him. Watts could not have imagined that his songs would still be lifting hearts to God across the world centuries after his death. He simply offered his gift in worship, and God multiplied it beyond anything he could have dreamed. We may never write a hymn, but each of us can offer God the new song of a grateful heart.
Prayer: Lord, put a new song in our mouths — fresh, heartfelt praise that springs from what You have done for us. Like Isaac Watts, may we offer our worship with genuine joy, and may that joy draw others to trust in You. Amen.