According to Norman Mable, in his book “Popular Hymns and their Writers, Page 179, “From an early age, Isaac Watts displayed a propensity for rhyme. Once, he had to explain how he came to have his eyes open during prayers:

A little mouse for want of stairs
Ran up a rope to say its prayers.
Receiving corporal punishment for this, he cried:
O father, father, pity take
And I will no more verses make.”

Growing up in church Watts was only allowed to sing the words of the Psalter, which is a book containing the Psalms. It would be “Disrespectful to God” to sing any other words. These Psalms were put to a droning style of music. He complained to his father and his father told him to do something about it. Over the next two years he wrote over 200 hymns. One of those hymns was O God Our Help in Ages Past. It was a time with very little religious freedom. Isaac’s father had been arrested twice for his religious views. Isaac had become known a “Radical Churchman” for writing songs that did not quote the Bible exactly. It was during this time of fear that he paraphrased Psalm 90 and wrote this great hymn.

“O God our help in ages past our hope for years to come
Our shelter from the stormy blast and our eternal home
Under the shadow of Thy throne still may we dwell secure
Sufficient is Thine arm alone and our defense is sure
O God our help in ages past our hope for years to come
Be Thou our guide while life shall last and our eternal home”

Watts was able to take Scripture, turn it into a song to encouragement those who hear and sing its words. Through his paraphrase we sing that God has been with us and will be with us thru all time. He is our defense! He is our hope! He is our guide! Finally, God is the eternal home for those who have trusted Him. One day when we each breathe our final breath we will find ourselves in the presence of the Almighty! As you sing this hymn remember the “Sufficient Arms” of God your Father. No matter what life brings your way we will dwell secure in His eternal home.