STUDY / LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE / HYMNS

O God, my refuge, hear my cries C. M Support for the afflicted and tempted soul

Isaac Watts's setting of Psalm 55:1–8, 16–18, 22, 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 · 10 stanzas

WRITTEN ON

Psalm 55:1–8, 16–18, 22 the verse printed above it

The hymn, and the Scripture in it

All 10 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 55:1–8, 16–18, 22, "in the language of the New Testament": a paraphrase, not a translation. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

1Listen to my prayer, O God, and do not ignore my plea. 2Attend to me and answer me. I am restless in my complaint, and distraught 3at the voice of the enemy, at the pressure of the wicked. For they release disaster upon me and revile me in their anger. 4My heart murmurs within me, and the terrors of death assail me. 5Fear and trembling grip me, and horror has overwhelmed me. 6I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and find rest. 7How far away I would flee! In the wilderness I would remain. Selah 8I would hurry to my shelter, far from this raging tempest.” 16But I call to God, and the LORD saves me. 17Morning, noon, and night, I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice. 18He redeems my soul in peace from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me. 22Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken. PSALM 55:1–8, 16–18, 22 · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ PSALM 55

O God, my refuge, hear my cries, Behold my flowing tears, For earth and hell my hurt devise, And triumph in my fears. 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 1. Point at a tick to see the hymn; click it to open that hymn.

NO. 1 · ISAAC WATTS · THIS HYMN O God, my refuge, hear my cries

Rooted in Scripture. Open for discovery.

A place to read slowly, ask deeply, and follow the connections. Scripture, study and the voices of Christian history, brought together for a lifetime of learning.

SPEND TIME IN THE WORD

  • Open the reader
  • Books & reading progress
  • Compare Scripture editions
  • Find a passage

FOLLOW YOUR QUESTIONS

  • Study collections
  • People & places
  • Faith & apologetics
  • Stories of faith

A library with a paper trail.

Meet the authors. Explore the collection. Trace each work to its source.

Download the code.

Open source on GitHub.