STUDY / LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE / HYMNS

Thus saith the first, the great command Love to God and our neighbour, Matt. 22. 37-40

Isaac Watts printed it in 1707 in Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Book I, no. 116, under Matthew 22:37–40.

WRITTEN BY

Isaac Watts 1674–1748

PRINTED

1707 Hymns and Spiritual Songs · no. 116

METRE

Long Metre 8.8.8.8 · 4 stanzas

WRITTEN ON

Matthew 22:37–40 the verse printed above it

The hymn, and the Scripture in it

All 4 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

Thus saith the first, the great command

Thus saith the first, the great command,

"Let all thy inward powers unite

"To love thy Maker and thy God,

"With utmost vigour and delight.

Where Watts found it

Watts printed the hymn under Matthew 22:37–40. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

37Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” MATTHEW 22:37–40 · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ MATTHEW 22

Thus saith the first, the great command, "Let all thy inward powers unite "To love thy Maker and thy God, "With utmost vigour and delight. STANZA I

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

NO. 116 · ISAAC WATTS · THIS HYMN Thus saith the first, the great command

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