Poem by Isaac Watts

Hymn 115 (Lord, how secure my conscience was)

Conviction of sin by the law.

Rom. 7:8,9,14,24.

Lord, how secure my conscience was,
And felt no inward dread!
I was alive without the law,
And thought my sins were dead.

My hopes of heav'n were firm and bright,
But since the precept came
With a convincing power and light,
I find how vile I am.

[My guilt appeared but small before,
Till terribly I saw
How perfect, holy, just, and pure,
Was thine eternal law.

Then felt my soul the heavy load,
My sins revived again
I had provoked a dreadful God,
And all my hopes were slain.]

I'm like a helpless captive, sold
Under the power of sin
I cannot do the good I would,
Nor keep my conscience clean.

My God, I cry with every breath
For some kind power to save,
To break the yoke of sin and death,
And thus redeem the slave.

1. Psalm 46. Part 1 (God is the refuge of his saints)
2. Hymn 99 (Let the whole race of creatures lie)
3. Psalm 150 (In God's own house pronounce his praise)
4. Psalm 136 (Give thanks to God most high)
5. Psalm 121 (To heav'n I lift my waiting eyes)

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