Analysis of Psalm 39 part 1

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



v.1-3
C. M.
Watchfulness over the tongue.

Thus I resolved before the Lord,-
"Now will I watch my tongue;
Lest I let slip one sinful word,
Or do my neighbor wrong."

And if I'm e'er constrained to stay
With men of lives profane,
I'll set a double guard that day,
Nor let my talk be vain.

I'll scarce allow my lips to speak
The pious thoughts I feel,
Lest scoffers should th' occasion take
To mock my holy zeal.

Yet if some proper hour appear,
I'll not be overawed,
But let the scoffing sinners hear
That I can speak for God.


Scheme XXA BAXX CDCD XEXE XBXX
Poetic Form
Metre 1 11 11001 11010101 111111 11111101 111101 011100111 111101 11010111 111111 11011111 010111 111110101 111101 111101001 1111 1101101 111111
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 513
Words 106
Sentences 9
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 3, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 19
Letters per line (avg) 21
Words per line (avg) 5
Letters per stanza (avg) 79
Words per stanza (avg) 20
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

33 sec read
86

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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