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Blest are the undefiled in heart The blessedness of saints, and misery of sinners

Isaac Watts's setting of Psalm 119, 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. 1

METRE

Common Metre 8.6.8.6 · 6 stanzas

IN HYMNALS

83 listed at Hymnary.org

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

The psalm it sets

Watts made this hymn from Psalm 119, "in the language of the New Testament": a paraphrase, not a translation. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

1Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Law of the LORD. 2Blessed are those who keep His testimonies and seek Him with all their heart. 3They do no iniquity; they walk in His ways. 4You have ordained Your precepts, that we should keep them diligently. … 172 more verses PSALM 119 · ITS FIRST VERSES · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ PSALM 119

Blest are the undefiled in heart, Whose ways are right and clean; Who never from thy law depart, But fly from every sin. STANZA I

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 1. Point at a tick to see the hymn; click it to open that hymn.

NO. 1 · ISAAC WATTS · THIS HYMN Blest are the undefiled in heart

Where hymnals place it

Printed hymnals list, for each hymn, the Bible passages it goes with, so a church can choose a hymn for the day's reading. Gathered from the hymnals Hymnary.org catalogues, editors have tied this hymn to 1 passage in 1 book. One square is one passage; a ringed square is one the hymn's own lines echo. Point at a square to read it; click to open it beside the page.

Psalms 1

PSALM 119 · THE WHOLE CHAPTERECHOED IN STANZA I, II, III, IV, VI

1Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Law of the LORD. 2Blessed are those who keep His testimonies and seek Him with all their heart. 3They do no iniquity; they walk in His ways. 4You have ordained Your precepts, that we should keep them diligently. … 172 more verses

a passage hymnals tie it to one its lines echo (1)

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