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The Lord, the Judge, his churches warns Hypocrisy exposed

Isaac Watts's setting of Psalm 50, 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. 4

METRE

Long Metre 8.8.8.8 · 6 stanzas

WRITTEN ON

Psalm 50 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

The psalm it sets

Watts made this hymn from Psalm 50, "in the language of the New Testament": a paraphrase, not a translation. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

1The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from where the sun rises to where it sets. 2From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth. 3Our God approaches and will not be silent! Consuming fire precedes Him, and a tempest rages around Him. 4He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that He may judge His people: … 19 more verses PSALM 50 · ITS FIRST VERSES · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ PSALM 50

They watch to do their neighbours wrong; Yet dare to seek their Maker's face; They take his covenant on their tongue, But break his laws, abuse his grace. STANZA III

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 4. Point at a tick to see the hymn; click it to open that hymn.

NO. 4 · ISAAC WATTS · THIS HYMN The Lord, the Judge, his churches warns

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