Isaac Watts (1674–1748) was an English Nonconformist minister and author who is widely regarded today as the “father of English hymnody.” Over the course of his life, he authored approximately 750 hymns, including “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” and “O God, Our Help in Ages Past.” Perhaps his most beloved hymn, however, is “Joy to the World,” which he based on Psalm 98. In his book, The Psalms of David, Watts broke with tradition by retaining the basic format of the psalms, but paraphrasing (“imitating”) each using New Testament words and concepts.