Watts, Isaac. The Psalms of David, Imitated in the Language of the New Testament, And applied to the Christian Worship; Corrected and Accommodated to the Use of the Church of Christ in America. Worcester: Elijah Burbank | E. Merriam & Co., Printers: Brookfield, 1816. [9833]
Full leather, joints good, corners worn with some loss to front top, 14 x 8.6 cm (5 1/2 x 3 5/8 inches), long inscription (title) on the ffep. (xii), [1], (13)-283, [1], (i)-242, (x), pages complete. Leaf 55-56 of the hymns torn with loss in bottom margin, with old repair; hole in leaves 237-8 & 239-40 with loss of a few letters; lacks the rear free end papers. Foxing, some light stains, some edge-tatters, corner creases. Text in good condition. Good. Full leather.
The Hymns section has a separate title page: Hymns and Spiritual Songs. In Three Books. I. Collected from the Scirptures, II. Composed on Divine Subjects, III. Prepared for the Lord's Supper. By Isaac Watts, D. D. Corrected, and Accommodated for the Use of the Church of Christ in America. Brookfield: Printed by E. Merriam & Co. 1816.
An interesting edition as we are unable to find another physical copy published by Elijah Burbank of Worcester. WorldCat lists microform copies. The title with "Corrected and Accommodated to the Use of the Church of Christ in America" was first used in the Mycall Revision of 1781, published at Newburyport. The revision excised references to Great Britain and the English Crown, and Americanized a few texts, most notably Psalm 75:2-3, "America was doom'd a slave, Her frame dissolv'd, her fears were great; When God a righteous Council gave, To bear the pillars of the State. They from Thy pow'r receiv'd their own, And sware to rule by wholesome laws; Thy foot shall tread oppressors down, Thy arm defend the righteous cause."
It is not an exact reprint of the Mycall Revision, for it does not have all of Mycall's titles to the Psalms, some of which referenced America. It does have the text of most of those Psalms, however. A few other examples: "Our States, O Lord, with songs of Praise..." Psalm 21; "These ransom'd States are all the Lord's, Here Abr'ams God is knokwn, While pow'rs and princes, shields and swords, Submit before his throne." Psalm 47; "Amidst our States, exalted high, Do thou our glory stand, And like a wall of gurdian fire, Surround the fav'rite land." Psalm 67; "Columbia! praise thy mighty God..." Psalm 147, part 2.
We invite you to add this scarce hymnal to your collection.
