Isaac Watts, who wrote this hymn, was the father of hymn-writing in the English language. He was born in England. His father was not a member of the state church and was twice thrown into jail for opposing it, so that when he was a baby his mother often carried him in her arms to visit his father in prison.

He became a minister in London. He was a little man, only about five feet tall. His health was very poor all his life, but his church took loving care of him, for he was greatly liked.

Early in life he became wearied with the versified Psalms that the churches used and set out to compose hymns of his own. This was a new departure and met with persistent opposition, but his hymns soon became widely popular in nearly all the churches.