Scripture Verse

There is no fear of God before his eyes. For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin. Psalm 36:1–2

Introduction

portrait
Alexander R. Reinagle (1799–1877)

Words: Is­aac Watts, The Psalms of Da­vid 1719. The wickedness of man, and the majesty of God; or, practical atheism exposed.

Music: Ben Rhydd­ing Al­ex­an­der R. Rei­na­gle, in Will­iam Reid’s The Praise Book, 1866 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Lyrics

When man grows bold in sin,
My heart with­in me cries,
He hath no fear of God with­in,
Nor fear be­fore his eyes.

He walks awhile con­cealed
In a self flat­ter­ing dream,
Till his dark crimes at once re­vealed
Expose his hate­ful name.

His heart is false and foul,
His words are smooth and fair;
Wisdom is ban­ished from his soul,
And leaves no good­ness there.

He plots up­on his bed
New mis­chiefs to fulfill;
He sets his heart, and hand, and head,
To prac­tice all that’s ill.

But there’s a dread­ful God,
Though men re­nounce His fear;
His jus­tice, hid be­hind the cloud,
Shall one great day ap­pear.

His truth trans­cends the sky,
In Heav’n His mer­cies dwell;
Deep as the sea His judg­ments lie,
His an­ger burns to hell.

How ex­cel­lent His love,
Whence all our safe­ty springs!
O ne­ver let my soul re­move
From un­der­neath His wings!