This is the day the Lord hath made

This is the day the Lord hath made. Isaac Watts* (1674-1748). This is the fourth part of a paraphrase, in Common Metre, of Psalm 118, from The Psalms of David Imitated in the Language of the New Testament and Applied to the Christian State and Worship (1719). The full title is necessary to draw attention to the intent behind this hymn. There were two additional texts, both based on verses 22-27 of the Psalm, in Short Metre and Long Metre. This one has the titles, ‘Hosanna; the Lord’s Day; or, Christ’s Resurrection and our Salvation’. It purports to be based on verses 24 –26, although verse 25, with its plea to the Lord to save and to send prosperity, is not directly referred to at all,...