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Soon as I heard my Father say Second Part Prayer and Hope

Isaac Watts's setting of Psalm 27:8–9, 13–14, 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 · 5 stanzas

WRITTEN ON

Psalm 27:8–9, 13–14 the verse printed above it

The hymn, and the Scripture in it

All 5 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

Soon as I heard my Father say

Soon as I heard my Father say,

"Ye children, seek my grace;"

My heart reply'd without delay,

"I'll seek my Father's face."

The psalm it sets

Watts made this hymn from Psalm 27:8–9, 13–14, "in the language of the New Testament": a paraphrase, not a translation. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

8My heart said, “Seek His face.” Your face, O LORD, I will seek. 9Hide not Your face from me, nor turn away Your servant in anger. You have been my helper; do not leave me or forsake me, O God of my salvation. 13Still I am certain to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD! PSALM 27:8–9, 13–14 · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ PSALM 27

Soon as I heard my Father say, "Ye children, seek my grace;" My heart reply'd without delay, "I'll seek my Father's face." 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 Soon as I heard my Father say

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