STUDY / LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE / HYMNS

Fools in their heart believe and say Psalm 14 Part 1

Isaac Watts's setting of Psalm 14, 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

WRITTEN ON

Psalm 14 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

Fools in their heart believe and say

"That all religion's vain;

There is no God that reigns on high,

Or minds th' affairs of men."

The psalm it sets

Watts made this hymn from Psalm 14, "in the language of the New Testament": a paraphrase, not a translation. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

1The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good. 2The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God. 3All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. 4Will the workers of iniquity never learn? They devour my people like bread; they refuse to call upon the LORD. … 3 more verses PSALM 14 · ITS FIRST VERSES · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ PSALM 14

Fools in their heart believe and say "That all religion's vain; There is no God that reigns on high, Or minds th' affairs of men." 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 Fools in their heart believe and say

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