Analysis of Psalm 40 Part 2

Isaac Watts 1674 (Southampton, Hampshire) – 1748 (Stoke Newington, Middlesex)



v.6-9
C. M.
The incarnation and sacrifice of Christ.

Thus saith the Lord, "Your work is vain
Give your burnt-offerings o'er;
In dying goats, and bullocks slain,
My soul delights no more."

Then spake the Savior, "Lo, I'm here,
My God, to do thy will;
Whate'er thy sacred books declare,
Thy servant shall fulfil.

"Thy law is ever in my sight,
I keep it near my heart;
Mine ears are opened with delight
To what thy lips impart."

And see, the blest Redeemer comes,
Th' eternal Son appears,
And at th' appointed time assumes
The body God prepares.

Much he revealed his Father's grace,
And much his truth he showed,
And preached the way of righteousness
Where great assemblies stood.

His Father's honor touched his heart,
He pitied sinners' cries,
And, to fulfil a Savior's part,
Was made a sacrifice.

No blood of beasts on altars shed
Could wash the conscience clean;
But the rich sacrifice he paid
Atones for all our sin.

Then was the great salvation spread,
And Satan's kingdom shook;
Thus by the woman's promised seed
The serpent's head was broke.


Scheme XXX AXAX XBXB CDCD XXXX XXXX DXDX EXXX EXXX
Poetic Form Tetractys  (23%)
Metre 1 11 0011001011 11011111 11110010 01010101 110111 11010111 111111 10110101 11011 11110011 111111 11110101 111101 010111 11010101 0111010101 010101 11011101 011111 01011100 110101 11010111 11101 0110101 11010 11111101 110101 1011011 111101 11010101 01101 11010101 010111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,026
Words 190
Sentences 14
Stanzas 9
Stanza Lengths 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 35
Letters per line (avg) 23
Words per line (avg) 5
Letters per stanza (avg) 90
Words per stanza (avg) 20
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

59 sec read
27

Isaac Watts

Isaac Watts was an English Christian minister (Congregational), hymn writer, theologian, and logician. He was a prolific and popular hymn writer and is credited with some 750 hymns. He is recognized as the "Godfather of English Hymnody"; many of his hymns remain in use today and have been translated into numerous languages. more…

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