My soul, repeat his praise

My soul, repeat his praise. Isaac Watts* (1674-1748). Watts published two metrical versions, in Long Metre and Short Metre, of Psalm 103 in The Psalms of David imitated in the language of the New Testament, and apply’d to the Christian State and Worship (1719). The former was in two parts, the latter in three. This is the second part of the SM version. It paraphrases verses 8-18 of the psalm, and was given the heading, ‘Abounding Compassion of God; or, Mercy in the Midst of Judgement.’ Of the two versions, with their five parts, this second part of the SM version stands out in its sublime simplicity. It remains close to the Authorized Version (KJV) text of the psalm, but with a remarkable...