The Fool hath said in his heart

Isaac Watts wrote the following words, a common meter hymn with the heading “By Nature all men are sinners.” It is part one of his metrical paraphrase of Psalm 14. It seems to not be found in many song books. It might be sung with many good common meter tunes, such as New Britain, Arlington, Martyrdom, etc. In Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs: a Manual of Worship for the Church of Christ, it is set below the tune Evan by William Henry Havergal (1793-1870).

1. Fools, in their hearts believe and say,
“That all religion’s vain,
“There is no God that reigns on high,
“Or minds th’affairs of men.”

2. From thoughts so dreadful and profane,
Corrupt discourse proceeds;
And in their impious hands are found
Abominable deeds.

3. The Lord, from his celestial throne
Look’d down on things below,
To find the man that sought his grace,
Or did his justice know.

4. By nature all are gone astray,
Their practice all the same;
There’s none that fears his Maker’s hand,
There’s none that loves his name.

5. Their tongues are used to speak deceit,
Their slanders never cease;
How swift to mischief are their feet:
Nor know the paths of peace!

6. Such seeds of sin (that bitter root)
In ev’ry heart are found;
Nor can they bear diviner fruit,
’Till grace refine the ground.