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Sure there's a righteous God The mystery of providence unfolded

Isaac Watts's setting of Psalm 73, 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

Short Metre 6.6.8.6 · 10 stanzas

WRITTEN ON

Psalm 73 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 73, "in the language of the New Testament": a paraphrase, not a translation. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

1Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. 3For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4They have no struggle in their death; their bodies are well-fed. … 24 more verses PSALM 73 · ITS FIRST VERSES · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ PSALM 73

The tumults of my thought Held me in hard suspense, Till to thy house my feet were brought To learn thy justice thence. STANZA VII

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 Sure there's a righteous God

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