Worthy the Lamb that died, they cry,
To be exalted thus:
Worthy the Lamb, our hearts reply
For He was slain for us.

Jesus is worthy to receive
Honour and power divine;
And blessings, more than we can give,
Be, Lord, for ever Thine.

This hymn first appeared in ‘Hymns and Sacred Songs’ as long ago as 1707 by an Englishman named Isaac Watts. He was born in 1674 in Southampton into a non‑conformist family and his father was twice imprisoned for his religious viewpoints. As early as 1698 Watts was a minister in an Independent church. His work was first published in 1705 and he left a huge body of work when he died in the London area in 1748. Hymns such as ‘When I survey the wondrous cross’ and ‘O God, our help in ages past’ have left a memorial as do more obvious memorials such as the one in Westminster Abbey.

The following verses in the Bible could have been in the mind of the writer:

Psalm 95:1‑2 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

Daniel 7:10 Thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

John 1:29 (NKJV) John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

Hebrews 1:1‑4 God…hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Hebrews 2:7‑10 Thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet...But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

Rev.5:8‑14 Four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, …And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; …And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

Rev.7:9‑12 Lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

Rev.15:3‑4 They sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee.

A common tune for this hymn is Nativity which was written by Henry Lahee, born Chelsea 1826, died Croydon 1912.