STUDY / LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE / HYMNS

Good is the Lord, the heav'nly King Psalm 65 Part 3

Isaac Watts's setting of Psalm 65, printed in 1719 in The Psalms of David Imitated, where he set the psalms "in the language of the New Testament".

WRITTEN BY

Isaac Watts 1674–1748

PRINTED

1719 The Psalms of David Imitated · no. 3

METRE

Common Metre 8.6.8.6 · 6 stanzas

WRITTEN ON

Psalm 65 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

Good is the Lord, the heav'nly King

Good is the Lord, the heav'nly King,

Who makes the earth his care;

Visits the pastures ev'ry spring,

And bids the grass appear.

No line of this stanza quotes a verse closely; it is the hymn's own confession.

The psalm it sets

Watts made this hymn from Psalm 65, "in the language of the New Testament": a paraphrase, not a translation. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

1Praise awaits You, O God, in Zion; to You our vows will be fulfilled. 2O You who listen to prayer, all people will come to You. 3When iniquities prevail against me, You atone for our transgressions. 4Blessed is the one You choose and bring near to dwell in Your courts! We are filled with the goodness of Your house, the holiness of Your temple. … 9 more verses PSALM 65 · ITS FIRST VERSES · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ PSALM 65

The little hills, on every side, Rejoice at falling showers; The meadows, dressed in all their pride, Perfume the air with flowers. STANZA IV

Its place in the book

Watts's psalms run from Psalm 1 to Psalm 150, several settings to many psalms: 367 hymns. This is number 3. Point at a tick to see the hymn; click it to open that hymn.

NO. 3 · ISAAC WATTS · THIS HYMN Good is the Lord, the heav'nly King

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