What Equal Honors Shall We Bring

“What Equal Honors Shall We Bring” is a hymn by Isaac Watts that celebrates the glory and majesty of Christ as King and Redeemer. Drawing from Revelation 5:12, which describes the angels and saints proclaiming the worthiness of the Lamb to receive power, riches, wisdom, and honor, Watts focuses on the proper response of worship and adoration from believers. The hymn asks how humans can match the infinite worth of Christ with their praise, recognizing that His greatness exceeds all human comprehension.

Watts emphasizes both the humility and devotion required in worship. While acknowledging the insufficiency of human honor compared to Christ’s glory, the hymn encourages believers to offer their hearts, lives, and service in humble reverence. It portrays the beauty of giving thanks and praise not as a duty alone, but as a joyful expression of love and awe toward the Savior who laid down His life for His people. The hymn leads the singer to reflect on the cross, the resurrection, and the reign of Christ, highlighting His triumph over sin and death.

The hymn also underscores the eternal nature of Christ’s worthiness. Watts points believers to the vision of heaven, where angels continually honor the Lamb, and encourages them to join in that eternal song of praise. By connecting earthly worship with heavenly worship, the hymn inspires Christians to live in a way that reflects their adoration and loyalty to Christ.

Over the centuries, this hymn has been used in services that emphasize Christ’s supremacy, His redemptive work, and the response of the church in praise and obedience. Watts’s words remind worshippers that while human efforts may never fully equal Christ’s worth, sincere devotion, thanksgiving, and obedience are fitting offerings to the One who reigns above all.