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Why did the nations join to slay The same

Isaac Watts's setting of Psalm 2, 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. 2

METRE

Common Metre 8.6.8.6 · 6 stanzas

WRITTEN ON

Psalm 2 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

Why did the nations join to slay

The Lord's anointed Son?

Why did they cast his laws away,

And tread his gospel down?

The psalm it sets

Watts made this hymn from Psalm 2, "in the language of the New Testament": a paraphrase, not a translation. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

1Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One: 3“Let us break Their chains and cast away Their cords.” 4The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord taunts them. … 8 more verses PSALM 2 · ITS FIRST VERSES · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ PSALM 2

Why did the nations join to slay The Lord's anointed Son? Why did they cast his laws away, And tread his gospel down? 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 2. Point at a tick to see the hymn; click it to open that hymn.

NO. 2 · ISAAC WATTS · THIS HYMN Why did the nations join to slay

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