Author—Isaac Watts, 1674–1748 Music—From a Gregorian Chant Arranged—Lowell Mason, 1792–1872 Meter—LM (88.88) Scripture Reference—Galatians 6:14 And He bearing His cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew, Golgotha. John 19:17 This hymn by Isaac Watts, labeled by the well-known theologian Matthew Arnold as the greatest hymn in the English language, was written in 1707 for use at a communion service conducted by Watts.