STUDY / LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE / HYMNS

The God of our salvation hears Second Part. L. M Divine providence in air, earth, and sea; or, The God of nature and grace

Isaac Watts's setting of Psalm 65:5–13, 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

Long Metre 8.8.8.8 · 12 stanzas

WRITTEN ON

Psalm 65:5–13 the verse printed above it

The hymn, and the Scripture in it

All 12 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

The God of our salvation hears

The groans of Sion mix'd with tears;

Yet when he comes with kind designs,

Thro' all the way his terror shines.

No line of this stanza quotes a verse closely; it is the hymn's own confession.

The psalm it sets

Watts made this hymn from Psalm 65:5–13, "in the language of the New Testament": a paraphrase, not a translation. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

5With awesome deeds of righteousness You answer us, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas. 6You formed the mountains by Your power, having girded Yourself with might. 7You stilled the roaring of the seas, the pounding of their waves, and the tumult of the nations. 8Those who live far away fear Your wonders; You make the dawn and sunset shout for joy. 9You attend to the earth and water it; with abundance You enrich it. The streams of God are full of water, for You prepare our grain by providing for the earth. 10You soak its furrows and level its ridges; You soften it with showers and bless its growth. 11You crown the year with Your bounty, and Your paths overflow with plenty. 12The pastures of the wilderness overflow; the hills are robed with joy. 13The pastures are clothed with flocks, and the valleys are decked with grain. They shout in triumph; indeed, they sing. PSALM 65:5–13 · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ PSALM 65

On him the race of man depends, Far as the earth's remotest ends, Where the Creator's Name is known By nature's feeble light alone. STANZA II

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 The God of our salvation hears

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