Over the Grave

In the midst of the Reformation in England, Isaac Watts recognized that people needed to see the gospel in the psalms and hymns of the church, and they needed to sing them in language and metaphors that they understood. In this, he became not only the father of the modern hymn, but the pace-setter for contextualizing the gospel for the people of God.

As musicians, pastors and songwriters, our desire was to explore the hundreds of hymns that Watts wrote during his lifetime, to learn from the incredible range and depth of his lyrics, and to re-envision those songs with modern language and melodies. In particular, we gravitated towards themes that seem unfortunately absent in modern worship — themes about God’s wrath and judgment, His righteousness, and a dramatic vision of the cross and atonement of Christ.

This CD is the first installment of the Isaac Watts Project: songs inspired by and adapted from his hymns. The record was written and performed entirely by musicians from Sojourn Community Church — 35 in all. It is our hope that this project, like Watts’s hymns, will point us beyond the music and lyrics to see the glorious Savior who inspires them.

BUY OVER THE GRAVE: THE HYMNS OF ISAAC WATTS, VOLUME ONE HERE for $12 — Physical Album and/or digital download

Track List

1. Warrior (inspired by “Psalm 21”)
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2. Living Faith (adapted from “Hymn 140”)
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3. How Long? (Psalm 13) (inspired by “Psalm 13”)
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4. Only Your Blood Is Enough (adapted from “Psalm 51, pt 2”)
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5. Reveal Your Love (inspired by “Psalm 90, pt. 2”)
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6. Over Death (adapted from “Hymn 17”)
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7. Alas And Did My Savior Bleed (adapted from “Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed”)
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8. May Your Power Rest On Me (inspired by “Hymn 15”)
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9. Refuge (adapted from “Psalm 31, pt. 1”)
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10. We Are Changed (adapted from “Hymn 95”)
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11. Savior King (adapted from “Hymn 10”)
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