Joseph Swain › Texts

Joseph Swain
Short Name: Joseph Swain
Full Name: Swain, Joseph, 1761-1796
Birth Year: 1761
Death Year: 1796

Swain, Joseph, was born at Birmingham in 1761, and after being apprenticed to an engraver, removed to London. After a time he became a decided Christian, and being of an emotional poetic temperament, began to give expression to his new thoughts and feelings in hymns. In 1783 he was baptized by the Rev. Dr. Rippon, and in 1791 became minister of a Baptist congregation in East Street, Walworth. After a short but popular and very useful ministry, he died April 16, 1796 Swain published the following:—
(1) A Collection of Poems on Several Occasions, London, 1781; (2) Redemption, a Poem in five Books, London, 1789; (3) Experimental Essays on Divine Subjects, London, 1791; (4) Walworth Hymns, by J. Swain, Pastor of the Baptist Church Meeting there, London, 1792, 129 hymns; with a Supplement, 1794, 192 hymns; (5) A Pocket Companion and Directory, London, 1794.

In addition to a limited number of Swain's hymns, annotated under their respective first lines, the following, from his Walworth Hymns1792, and the 2nd ed., 1796, are also in common use:—
1. Brethren, while we sojourn here. Mutual Encouragement.
2. Children of the King of grace. Holy Baptism.
3. Christ the Lord will come again. Second Advent.
4. Come, ye souls, by sin afflicted. The Yoke of Christ.
5. How sweet, how heavenly is the sight. Communion of Saints.
6. In expectation sweet. Second Advent.
7. Lift up your heads, ye gates. Ascension.
8. Love is the sweetest bud that blows. A Flower an Emblem of Christ.
9. 0 how the thought that I shall know. Heaven Anticipated. Sometimes it begins with st. ii., "For ever to behold Him shine".
10. On earth the song begins. Heaven Anticipated.
11. On the wings of faith upspringing. Passiontide.
12. Pilgrims we are to Canaan bound. Pilgrimage of Life.
13. Praise ye the Lord, the eternal King. Divinity of Christ.
14. Praise your Redeemer, praise His Name. Praise for Redemption.
15. 'Tis heaven begun below. Heaven Anticipated.
16. What is it for a saint to die? Death and Burial.
17. What must [will] it be to dwell above? Heaven Anticipated.
18. When firm I [we] stand on Zion's hill. Confidence. Sometimes as "I stand on Zion's mount," in American collections.
19. Who can forbear to sing? Praise of Jesus.

From his Redemption, a Poem in Five Books, 1791, the following hymns are also in common use:--
20. 0 Thou in whose presence my soul takes delight. In Affliction.
21. Ye daughters of Zion, declare, have you see? Comfort in Affliction.
Of these hymns the most widely known are Nos. 1, 5, 6, and 20. We may add that several of Swain's hymns appeared in The Theological Miscellany, 1784-1789. [Rev. W. R. Stevenson, M.A.]

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)


Texts by Joseph Swain (69)sort descendingAsAuthority LanguagesInstances
A friend there is, your voices joinJoseph Swain (Author)English26
A garden fenced from common earthJoseph Swain (Author)6
And am I blest with Jesus' loveJoseph Swain (Author)12
And may I hope that when no moreJoseph Swain (Author)12
أيا من به أستطيب الهناءJoseph Swain (Author)Arabic1
Brethren, while we journey hereRev. Joseph Swain, 1761-1796 (Author)English166
Children of the king of graceJoseph Swain (Author)2
Christ the Lord will come again (Swain)Joseph Swain (Author)English7
Come, let our hearts and voices joinJoseph Swain (Author)English27
Come, lift your joyous eyesJoseph Swain (Author)English2
Come, ye souls by sin afflictedJoseph Swain (Author)English36
Faith, like an ivy to the rockJoseph Swain (Author)2
Firmly I stand on Zion's hillJoseph Swain (Author)1
For ever to behold Him shineJoseph Swain (Author)English4
God's nature and his name we readSwain (Author)5
His vestments of righteousnessJoseph Swain (Author)12
His voice as the sound of the dulcimer sweetJoseph Swain (Author)English4
How light, while supported by graceJoseph Swain (Author)English2
How pleasant is the gateJoseph Swain (Author)English2
How sweet and heavenly is the sightJoseph Swain (Author)English444
How sweet to wait upon the LordJoseph Swain (Author)English2
How vast the sufferings, who can tellJoseph Swain (Author)English1
How willing was Jesus to dieJoseph Swain (Author)English2
I stand outside of your heart, dearestJoseph Swain (Author)1
I'll praise thee, dear Jesus, delight of my soulJoseph Swain (Author)2
In expectation sweetJoseph Swain (Author)English45
Jesus, away from earth I flyJoseph Swain (Author)2
Jesus, how heavenly is the placeJoseph Swain (Author)English1
Jesus, thy saints assembled hereJoseph Swain (Author)7
Lift up your hearts in solemn laysJoseph Swain (Author)2
Lo he comes arrayed in vengeanceJoseph Swain (Author)English9
Love is the sweetest bud that blowsJoseph Swain (Author)English12
O du, Herr, an dem meine Seel' sich erfreutJoseph Swain (Author)German2
O Thou in whose presence my soul takes delightJoseph Swain (Author)English375
O, what a garden will be seenJoseph Swain (Author)2
Oh Dios de Israel, te rendimos loorJoseph Swain (Adapter)Spanish2
O why should I wander a stranger from TheeJoseph Swain (Author)English2
On earth the song begins Joseph Swain (Author)English20
On the brink of fiery ruinSwain (Author)5
On the wings of faith uprisingJoseph Swain (Author)English1
Pilgrims we are, and heavenward boundJoseph Swain (Author)English28
Praise ye the Lord, the Saviour praiseSwain (Author)2
Praise your redeemer, praise his nameJoseph Swain (Author)2
Redeemer of Israel, our only delightJoseph Swain, 1761-1796 (Author)English6
Rejoice in God, the word commandsSwain (Author)13
Señor, de tu pueblo el gozo eres túJoseph Swain (Adapter)Spanish2
Shout, for the Lord, the Saviour, comeSwain (Author)2
Sinners, away from Sinai flyJoseph Swain (Author)English12
Sweet, as angels' notes in heavenJoseph Swain (Author)2
The finest flower that ever was knownJoseph Swain (Author)English11
The trumpet sounds awakeJoseph Swain (Author)2
'Tis good to wait upon the LordJoseph Swain (Author)English14
'Tis heaven begun belowJoseph Swain (Author)English16
To him that lives, but once was slianSwain (Author)2
To him that loved us, ere we layJoseph Swain (Author)English1
To Zion we go, the seat of our KingJoseph Swain (Author)English2
Welcome, dear brethren, to this placeJoseph Swain (Author)12
What is it for a saint to dieJoseph Swain (Author)English8
What must it be to dwell aboveJoseph Swain (Author)11
When firm we stand on Zion's hillJoseph Swain (Author)2
When on my beloved I gazeSwain (Author)English6
When swelling Jordan o'er us rollsSwain (Author)4
Who can forbear to singJoseph Swain (Author)English39
Why should the saints be filled with dreadJoseph Swain (Author)English12
Why should we shrink at death's cold floodJoseph Swain (Author)3
Why should we shrink at Jordan's floodJoseph Swain (Author)English2
Ye daughters of Zion, declare, have ye seenSwain (Author)8
Ye saints, proclaim in joyful strainsSwain (Author)2
主阿,在你面前我心何其樂 (Zhǔ ā, zài nǐ miànqián wǒ xīn héqí lè)Joseph Swain (Author)Chinese2

See also...

Suggestions or corrections? Contact us