STUDY / LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE / HYMNS

Songs of immortal praise belong First Part. The wisdom of God in his works

Isaac Watts's setting of Psalm 111, 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 111 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

Songs of immortal praise belong

To my almighty God;

He has my heart, and he my tongue

To spread his Name abroad.

No line of this stanza quotes a verse closely; it is the hymn's own confession.

The psalm it sets

Watts made this hymn from Psalm 111, "in the language of the New Testament": a paraphrase, not a translation. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

1Hallelujah! I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly. 2Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them. 3Splendid and majestic is His work; His righteousness endures forever. 4He has caused His wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate. … 6 more verses PSALM 111 · ITS FIRST VERSES · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ PSALM 111

How great the works his hand has wrought! How glorious in our sight! And men in every age have sought His wonders with delight. STANZA II

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 Songs of immortal praise belong

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