Skip to content

A copy of Advent Hymnals. Open this page on adventhymnals.org →

Advent Hymnals

Christ in Song 118

Write Thy Law

Words: E. E. HewittMusic: Lowell Mason

Studio

1Lord, I have made thy word my choice, My hope, my chief delight;
From read thy law from day to day, Let not my heart depart;
From read thy law from day to day, Let not my heart depart.

RefrainCome and fill my heart, my Savior, is a mercy seek;
Come and fill my heart, my Savior, is a mercy seek.

2I'll meditate thine in-tent law, Before the early dawn;
And when the labor of the day Is o'er, I'll read thy word;
And when the labor of the day Is o'er, I'll read thy word.

3The mercy they'll be lifted, That sat me right heart above;
Till mortal life shall close in death, And I shall see my God;
Till mortal life shall close in death, And I shall see my God.

Scripture
Psalm 119

The verse

Meter
14.14.14
Foot
iambic (da-DUM) · 68% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABB
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

Lord, I have made thy word my choice, My hope, my chief delight;/˘˘///˘/˘/˘/˘/14A
From read thy law from day to day, Let not my heart depart;˘///˘/˘//˘˘/˘/14B
From read thy law from day to day, Let not my heart depart.˘///˘/˘//˘˘/˘/14B

Verse 2

I'll meditate thine in-tent law, Before the early dawn;//˘/////˘/˘/˘/14A
And when the labor of the day Is o'er, I'll read thy word;˘/˘/˘˘˘/˘/////14B
And when the labor of the day Is o'er, I'll read thy word.˘/˘/˘˘˘/˘/////14B

Verse 3

The mercy they'll be lifted, That sat me right heart above;˘/˘/˘/˘˘/˘//˘/14A
Till mortal life shall close in death, And I shall see my God;//˘/˘/˘/˘˘˘/˘/14B
Till mortal life shall close in death, And I shall see my God.//˘/˘/˘/˘˘˘/˘/14B

Refrain

Come and fill my heart, my Savior, is a mercy seek;/˘/˘/˘/˘˘˘/˘/13A
Come and fill my heart, my Savior, is a mercy seek./˘/˘/˘/˘˘˘/˘/13A

Counted by machine from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. It cannot hear emphasis or a poet’s licence, so treat it as a place to start reading, not the last word.