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How oft have sin and Satan strove Hope in the covenant; or, God's promise and truth unchangeable, Heb. 6. 17 18 19

Isaac Watts printed it in 1707 in Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Book I, no. 139, under Hebrews 6:17–19.

WRITTEN BY

Isaac Watts 1674–1748

PRINTED

1707 Hymns and Spiritual Songs · no. 139

METRE

Long Metre 8.8.8.8 · 4 stanzas

WRITTEN ON

Hebrews 6:17–19 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

How oft have sin and Satan strove

To rend my soul from thee, my God,

But everlasting is thy love,

And Jesus seals it with his blood.

Where Watts found it

Watts printed the hymn under Hebrews 6:17–19. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

17So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath. 18Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged. 19We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, HEBREWS 6:17–19 · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ HEBREWS 6

Amidst temptations sharp and long My soul to this dear refuge flies: Hope is my anchor firm and strong, While tempests blow, and billows rise. STANZA III

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

NO. 139 · ISAAC WATTS · THIS HYMN How oft have sin and Satan strove

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