STUDY / LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE / HYMNS

My spirit looks to God alone No trust in the creatures; or, Faith in divine grace and power

Isaac Watts's setting of Psalm 62:5–12, 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. 62

METRE

Long Metre 8.8.8.8 · 6 stanzas

WRITTEN ON

Psalm 62:5–12 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 62:5–12, "in the language of the New Testament": a paraphrase, not a translation. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

5Rest in God alone, O my soul, for my hope comes from Him. 6He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress; I will not be shaken. 7My salvation and my honor rest on God, my strong rock; my refuge is in God. 8Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge. Selah 9Lowborn men are but a vapor, the exalted but a lie. Weighed on the scale, they go up; together they are but a vapor. 10Place no trust in extortion, or false hope in stolen goods. If your riches increase, do not set your heart upon them. 11God has spoken once; I have heard this twice: that power belongs to God, 12and loving devotion to You, O Lord. For You will repay each man according to his deeds. PSALM 62:5–12 · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ PSALM 62

My spirit looks to God alone; My rock and refuge is his throne; In all my fears, in all my straits, My soul on his salvation waits. 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 62. Point at a tick to see the hymn; click it to open that hymn.

NO. 62 · ISAAC WATTS · THIS HYMN My spirit looks to God alone

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