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How did my heart rejoice to hear Going to church

Isaac Watts's setting of Psalm 122, 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 122 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

How did my heart rejoice to hear

My friends devoutly say,

"In Zion let us all appear,

"And keep the solemn day!"

The psalm it sets

Watts made this hymn from Psalm 122, "in the language of the New Testament": a paraphrase, not a translation. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

1I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.” 2Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem. 3Jerusalem is built up as a city united together, 4where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as a testimony for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD. … 5 more verses PSALM 122 · ITS FIRST VERSES · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ PSALM 122

Peace be within this sacred place, And joy a constant guest! With holy gifts, and heavenly grace Be her attendants blest! STANZA V

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 How did my heart rejoice to hear

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