John Morison was an 18th-century Scottish clergyman, scholar, and poet, born in Aberdeenshire in 1749. He pursued his higher education at King’s College, University of Aberdeen, where he earned his Master of Arts degree in 1771. Recognized for his intellectual gifts and pastoral heart, he was ordained into the ministry of the Church of Scotland, accepting the charge of parish minister at Canisbay, Caithness, in 1780. He faithfully served this northern parish for the remainder of his life, receiving an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from the University of Edinburgh in 1792 in recognition of his literary and theological accomplishments.

Morison’s lasting significance in Scottish church history rests on his pivotal contributions to the landmark Translations and Paraphrases of 1781. On May 26, 1781, he was appointed to the special committee created by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland to revise and expand the earlier 1745 collection of metrical scripture paraphrases for public worship. Morison proved to be one of the most talented poetic contributors to the project. He is definitively credited with authoring five complete paraphrases—Nos. 19, 21, 29, 30, and 35 in the 1781 collection—and collaborated with John Logan on Nos. 27 and 28.

Among his individual compositions, Morison’s paraphrase of Isaiah 9:2–8, titled "The people that in darkness sat," stands out as his most enduring masterpiece. Celebrating the light of the Incarnation and the coming of the Prince of Peace, it became a Christmas and Epiphany staple throughout the global Church. His other widely adopted metrical paraphrases include:

• "The race that long in darkness pined" — A classic Advent text drawn from Isaiah's prophecies of divine redemption.

• "Attend, ye tribes, the voice divine" — A call to spiritual wisdom based on Isaiah 55.

• "Come, let us to the Lord our God" — A deeply penitential paraphrase of Hosea 6:1–4, emphasizing God's mercy and restoration.

• "To Him that loved the souls of men" — A festive doxology adapted from the opening chapter of the Book of Revelation.

Morison’s verse was praised for its dignity, scriptural fidelity, and smooth poetic cadence, helping establish the Translations and Paraphrases as a defining element of Presbyterian worship for over two centuries. He served the parish of Canisbay until his death on June 12, 1798, at forty-nine years of age.