STUDY / LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE / HYMNS
Upward I lift mine eyes God our preserver
Isaac Watts's setting of Psalm 121, 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. 3
METRE
6.6.6.6.4.4.4.4 4 stanzas
WRITTEN ON
Psalm 121 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 121, "in the language of the New Testament": a paraphrase, not a translation. The line that comes closest to it is marked.
1I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. 3He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. 4Behold, the Protector of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. … 4 more verses PSALM 121 · ITS FIRST VERSES · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ PSALM 121
Upward I lift mine eyes, From God is all my aid; The God that built the skies, And earth and nature made: God is the tow'r To which I fly: His grace is nigh In every hour. 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 3. Point at a tick to see the hymn; click it to open that hymn.
NO. 3 · ISAAC WATTS · THIS HYMN Upward I lift mine eyes
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