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Through every age, eternal God Psalm 90

Isaac Watts's setting of Psalm 90, 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. 90

METRE

Long Metre 8.8.8.8 · 8 stanzas

WRITTEN ON

Psalm 90 the verse printed above it

The hymn, and the Scripture in it

All 8 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

Through every age, eternal God

Through every age, eternal God,

Thou art our rest, our safe abode;

High was thy throne ere heav'n was made,

Or earth thy humble footstool laid.

The psalm it sets

Watts made this hymn from Psalm 90, "in the language of the New Testament": a paraphrase, not a translation. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

1Lord, You have been our dwelling place through all generations. 2Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God. 3You return man to dust, saying, “Return, O sons of mortals.” 4For in Your sight a thousand years are but a day that passes, or a watch of the night. … 13 more verses PSALM 90 · ITS FIRST VERSES · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ PSALM 90

[A thousand of our years amount Scarce to a day in thine account; Like yesterday's departed light, Or the last watch of ending night. 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 90. Point at a tick to see the hymn; click it to open that hymn.

NO. 90 · ISAAC WATTS · THIS HYMN Through every age, eternal God

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