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Advent Hymnals

Christ in Song 335

How Gentle God's Commands!

Words: P. DoddridgeMusic: H. K. OliverTune: Federal StreetL. M.

Studio

1How gentle God's commands! How kind his precepts are! Come, cast your burdens on the Lord, And trust his constant care.

2Beneath his watchful eye His saints securely dwell; That hand which bears all nature up Shall guide his children well.

3Why should this anxious load Press down your weary mind? Haste to your heavenly Father's throne, And sweet refreshment find.

4His goodness stands approved, Down to the present day; I'll drop my burden at his feet, And bear a song away.

Also sung to
Dennis (Church Hymnal #64)
Meter
L. M.
Scripture
1 Peter 5:7

The verse

Meter
26 · the hymnal prints L. M.
Foot
iambic (da-DUM) · 60% of beats fit
Rhyme
A
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

How gentle God's commands! How kind his precepts are! Come, cast your burdens on the Lord, And trust his constant care.//˘/˘///˘//˘//˘/˘˘˘/˘/˘/˘/26A

Verse 2

Beneath his watchful eye His saints securely dwell; That hand which bears all nature up Shall guide his children well.˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘///˘˘˘/˘/˘/26A

Verse 3

Why should this anxious load Press down your weary mind? Haste to your heavenly Father's throne, And sweet refreshment find./˘˘/˘///˘/˘//˘˘/˘˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/27A

Verse 4

His goodness stands approved, Down to the present day; I'll drop my burden at his feet, And bear a song away.˘/˘/˘//˘˘/˘///˘/˘˘˘/˘/˘/˘/26A

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.