STUDY / LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE / HYMNS

He dies! the friend of sinners dies! Hymn 44 Part 1

Isaac Watts printed it in 1707 in Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Book I, no. 44.1, under Luke 23:27, 29, 44–46.

WRITTEN BY

Isaac Watts 1674–1748

PRINTED

1707 Hymns and Spiritual Songs · no. 44.1

METRE

Long Metre 8.8.8.8 · 6 stanzas

WRITTEN ON

Luke 23:27, 29, 44–46 the verse printed above it

The hymn, and the Scripture in it

All 6 stanzas as Watts printed them, with the verses their lines echo beside them. Point at a line to join it to its verse; click to read the passage.

SHARED WORDSthe verse shares the line's wording ECHOproposed by an AI model, confirmed by a separate check Not the author's own notes

AMONG THE SCRIPTURES

The stanzas at the centre; around them, every book its heading and its echoes come from, Old Testament on the left and New on the right. Choose a stanza or a book.

a line echoes this verse its heading or an echo comes from here

STANZA I

He dies! the friend of sinners dies

He dies! the friend of sinners dies!

Lo! Salem's daughters weep around;

A solemn darkness veils the skies;

A sudden trembling shakes the ground.

Where Watts found it

Watts printed the hymn under Luke 23:27, 29, 44–46.

27A great number of people followed Him, including women who kept mourning and wailing for Him. 29Look, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed!’ 44It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour. 45The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. 46Then Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” And when He had said this, He breathed His last. LUKE 23:27, 29, 44–46 · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ LUKE 23

Its place in the book

Book I of the hymn book, “Collected from the Holy Scriptures”, holds these hymns in this order: 179 hymns. This is number 44.1. Point at a tick to see the hymn; click it to open that hymn.

NO. 44.1 · ISAAC WATTS · THIS HYMN He dies! the friend of sinners dies!

Rooted in Scripture. Open for discovery.

A place to read slowly, ask deeply, and follow the connections. Scripture, study and the voices of Christian history, brought together for a lifetime of learning.

SPEND TIME IN THE WORD

  • Open the reader
  • Books & reading progress
  • Compare Scripture editions
  • Find a passage

FOLLOW YOUR QUESTIONS

  • Study collections
  • People & places
  • Faith & apologetics
  • Stories of faith

A library with a paper trail.

Meet the authors. Explore the collection. Trace each work to its source.

Download the code.

Open source on GitHub.