STUDY / LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE / HYMNS

Ye that delight to serve the Lord Proper Time. The majesty and condescension of God

Isaac Watts's setting of Psalm 113, 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

8.8.8.8.8.8 4 stanzas

WRITTEN ON

Psalm 113 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

The psalm it sets

Watts made this hymn from Psalm 113, "in the language of the New Testament": a paraphrase, not a translation. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

1Hallelujah! Give praise, O servants of the LORD; praise the name of the LORD. 2Blessed be the name of the LORD both now and forevermore. 3From where the sun rises to where it sets, the name of the LORD is praised. 4The LORD is exalted over all the nations, His glory above the heavens. … 5 more verses PSALM 113 · ITS FIRST VERSES · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ PSALM 113

Ye that delight to serve the Lord, The honours of his Name record, His sacred Name for ever bless: Where'er the circling sun displays His rising beams, or setting rays, Let lands and seas his power confess. 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 Ye that delight to serve the Lord

Rooted in Scripture. Open for discovery.

A place to read slowly, ask deeply, and follow the connections. Scripture, study and the voices of Christian history, brought together for a lifetime of learning.

SPEND TIME IN THE WORD

  • Open the reader
  • Books & reading progress
  • Compare Scripture editions
  • Find a passage

FOLLOW YOUR QUESTIONS

  • Study collections
  • People & places
  • Faith & apologetics
  • Stories of faith

A library with a paper trail.

Meet the authors. Explore the collection. Trace each work to its source.

Download the code.

Open source on GitHub.