Sunday, November 15, 2026
by Joshua L. Mazur, Director of Music
Hymn 398: I Sing the Almighty Power of God
I Sing the Almighty Power of God was written by Isaac Watts, one of the most influential figures in English hymnody. It first appeared in 1715 in his collection Divine Songs Attempted in Easy Language for the Use of Children. Watts believed that children should learn Christian doctrine through poetry they could understand and remember. Although written for young singers, this hymn has remained in congregational use for more than three centuries.
The text surveys the created world as evidence of God's power, wisdom, and goodness. Watts begins with the creation of mountains, seas, and skies, then turns to the sun, moon, stars, plants, and animals. His language is accessible, but the theology is substantial. Creation reveals something of its Creator, and the same God who established the universe continues to sustain it. The hymn concludes with the assurance that wherever we go, we remain in God's presence and care.
FOREST GREEN
We sing Watts's text to FOREST GREEN, an English folk melody collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1903 from a singer in Surrey. Vaughan Williams adapted the melody for The English Hymnal of 1906, where it was associated with O Little Town of Bethlehem. Its pairing with Watts's text came later.
The hymn is written in Common Meter (8.6.8.6), one of the most frequently encountered patterns in English hymnody. The familiar structure makes it possible to sing the text to several different tunes. FOREST GREEN gives Watts's poetry a natural, flowing character, with a melody that is readily learned and remembered.
Entrusted with Much
In Sunday's Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the talents. A master entrusts portions of his wealth to three servants before departing on a journey. Two put what they have received to work, while the third, acting out of fear, buries his master's money. When the master returns, each servant must account for what was entrusted to him.
Watts's hymn provides a useful perspective on this parable. Everything we possess, including our abilities, opportunities, and resources, ultimately belongs to God. We receive these things within a world that God has created and continues to sustain. The question is what we do with what has been entrusted to our care.
The hymn also reminds us that God's power is accompanied by wisdom and goodness. The servant who buried his talent acted from a fearful understanding of his master. Christian stewardship grows from a different understanding of God, one that recognizes His generosity and responds with faithful service.
How am I using what God has entrusted to my care?