Metrical paraphrases by Isaac Watts, 1719
 English text
PART 1, v. 6-15 (C. M.)
Deliverance from a tumult
The Lord appears my helper now,
Nor is my faith afraid
What all the sons of earth can do,
Since heaven affords its aid.
'Tis safer, Lord, to hope in thee,
And have my God my friend,
Than trust in men of high degree,
And on their truth depend.
Like bees, my foes beset me round,
A large and angry swarm;
But I shall all their rage confound
By thine almighty arm.
'Tis through the Lord my heart is strong,
In him my lips rejoice;
While his salvation is my song,
How cheerful is my voice!
Like angry bees, they girt me round;
When God appears they fly;
So burning thorns, with crackling sound,
Make a fierce blaze and die.
Joy to the saints and peace belongs;
The Lord protects their days:
Let Isr'el tune immortal songs
To his almighty grace.
PART 2, v. 17-21 (C. M.)
Public praise for deliverance from death
Lord, thou hast heard thy servant cry
And rescued from the grave;
Now shall he live; and none can die,
If God resolve to save.
Thy praise, more constant than before,
Shall fill his daily breath;
Thy hand, that hath chastised him sore,
Defends him still from death.
Open the gates of Zion now,
For we shall worship there;
The house where all the righteous go
Thy mercy to declare.
Among th' assemblies of thy saints
Our thankful voice we raise;
There we have told thee our complaints,
And there we speak thy praise.
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PART 3, v. 22,23 (C. M.)
Christ the foundation of his church
Behold the sure foundation-stone
Which God in Zion lays,
To build our heavenly hopes upon,
And his eternal praise.
Chosen of God, to sinners dear,
And saints adore the name;
They trust their whole salvation here,
Nor shall they suffer shame.
The foolish builders, scribe and priest,
Reject it with disdain;
Yet on this Rock the church shall rest,
And envy rage in vain.
What though the gates of hell withstood,
Yet must this building rise;
'Tis thy own work, almighty God,
And wondrous in our eyes.
PART 4, v. 24-26 (C. M.)
Hosanna; the Lord's day; or, Christ's resurrection and our salvation
This is the day the Lord hath made,
He calls the hours his own;
Let heaven rejoice, let earth be glad,
And praise surround the throne.
Today he rose and left the dead,
And Satan's empire fell;
Today the saints his triumphs spread,
And all his wonders tell.
Hosanna to th' anointed King,
To David's holy Son;
Help us, O Lord; descend and bring
Salvation from thy throne.
Blest be the Lord, who comes to men
With messages of grace;
Who comes in God his Father's name
To save our sinful race.
Hosanna in the highest strains
The church on earth can raise;
The highest heavens, in which he reigns,
Shall give him nobler praise.
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[PART 5] v. 22-27 (S. M.)
An hosanna for the Lord's day; or, A new song of salvation by Christ
See what a living stone
The builders did refuse;
Yet God hath built his church thereon,
In spite of envious Jews.
The scribe and angry priest
Reject thine only Son;
Yet on this Rock shall Zion rest,
As the chief corner-stone.
The work, O Lord, is thine,
And wondrous in our eyes;
This day declares it all divine,
This day did Jesus rise.
This is the glorious day
That our Redeemer made;
Let us rejoice, and sing, and pray,
Let all the church be glad.
Hosanna to the King
Of David's royal blood;
Bless him, ye saints, he comes to bring
Salvation from your God.
We bless thine holy word,
Which all this grace displays;
And offer on thine altar, Lord,
Our sacrifice of praise.
[PART 6] v. 22-27 (L. M.)
An hosanna for the Lord's day, or, A new song of salvation by Christ
Lo! what a glorious corner-stone
The Jewish builders did refuse;
But God hath built his church thereon,
In spite of envy and the Jews.
Great God, the work is all divine,
The joy and wonder of our eyes;
This is the day that proves it thine,
The day that saw our Savior rise.
Sinners, rejoice; and saints, be glad;
Hosanna, let his name be blest;
A thousand honors on his head,
With peace, and light, and glory rest!
In God's own name he comes to bring
Salvation to our dying race;
Let the whole church address their King
With hearts of joy and songs of praise.
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English text
1. O praise the Lord, for he is good,
His mercies ne'er decay:
That his kind favors ever last,
Let thankful Israel say.
2. Their sense of his eternal love
Let Aaron's house express;
And, that it never fails, let all
That fear the Lord confess.
3. To God I made my humble moan,
With troubles quite oppressed;
And he released me from my straits,
And granted my request.
4. Since therefore God does on my side
So graciously appear,
Why should the vain attempts of men
Possess my soul with fear?
5. Since God, with those that aid my cause,
Vouchsafes my part to take,
To all my foes I need not doubt
A just return to make.
6. For better ’tis to trust in God,
And have the Lord our friend,
Than on the greatest human power
For safety to depend.
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7. Though many nations, closely leagued
Did beset me round;
Yet, by his boundless power sustained,
I did their strength confound.
8. They swarmed like bees, and yet their rage
Was but a short-lived blaze;
For while on God I still relied,
I vanquished them with ease.
9. When all united pressed me hard,
In hopes to make me fall,
The Lord vouchsafed to take my part,
And saved me from them all.
10. The honor of my strange escape
To him alone belongs;
He is my Savior and my strength,
He only claims my songs.
11. Joy fills the dwelling of the just,
Whom God has saved from harm;
For wondrous things are brought to pass
By his Almighty arm.
12. He, by his own resistless power,
Has endless honor won;
The saving strength of his right hand
Amazing works has done.
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13. God will not suffer me to fall,
But still prolongs my days,
That, by declaring all his works,
I may advance his praise.
14. When God had sorely me chastised,
Till quite of hopes bereaved,
His mercy from the gates of death
My fainting life reprieved.
15. Then open wide the temple gates
To which the just repair,
That I may enter in, and praise
My great deliverer there.
16. Within those gates of God's abode,
To which the righteous press,
Since thou hast heard, and set me safe,
Thy holy name I’ll bless.
17. That which the builders once refused
Is now the corner-stone:
This is the wondrous work of God,
The work of God alone.
18. This day is God's, let all the land
Exalt their cheerful voice:
Lord, we beseech thee, save us now,
And make us still rejoice.
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19. Him that approaches in God's name
Let all the assembly bless;
We, that belong to God's own house,
Have wished you good success.
20. God is the Lord, through whom we all
Both light and comfort find;
Fast to the altar's horn with cords
The chosen victim bind.
21. Thou art my Lord, O God, and still
I'll praise thy holy name:
Because thou only art my God,
I'll celebrate thy fame.
22. O then with me give thanks to God,
who still does gracious prove;
And let the tribute of our praise
Be endless as his love.
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