Christ in Song 8

Whiter Than Snow

1Blessed be the fountain of blood, To a world of sinners revealed; Blessed be the dear Son of God; Only by his stripes we are healed. Though I've wandered far from his fold, Bringing to my heart pain and woe, By his stripes the crown that he wore, And the cross his body o'er came, Grievous were the sorrows he bore, But he suffered thus for my shame.

RefrainWash me in the blood of the Lamb, And I shall be whiter than snow, Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow; Wash me in the blood of the Lamb, And I shall be whiter than snow.

2Thorough me the blood may now flow, Though like scarlet they be and red; They've wandered far from his fold, Bringing to my heart pain and woe, But he suffered thus for my shame, Water cannot wash them away; Jesus, to that Fountain of thine, Leaning on thy promise I go.

Words: E. R. Latta
Music: H. S. Perkins
Scripture: Isa. 1:18

Used by permission of Oliver Ditson & Co., owners of the copyright

The verse

Meter: 78
Foot: trochaic (DUM-da) · 33% of beats fit
Rhyme: A

Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

Blessed be the fountain of blood, To a world of sinners revealed; Blessed be the dear Son of God; Only by his stripes we are healed. Though I've wandered far from his fold, Bringing to my heart pain and woe, By his stripes the crown that he wore, And the cross his body o'er came, Grievous were the sorrows he bore, But he suffered thus for my shame./˘˘/˘˘/˘˘/˘/˘˘//˘˘//˘//˘˘˘/˘˘////˘/˘˘//˘˘˘//˘/˘˘/˘/˘˘/˘˘/˘/˘///˘˘˘/˘˘/˘˘/˘/˘˘/78A

Verse 2

Thorough me the blood may now flow, Though like scarlet they be and red; They've wandered far from his fold, Bringing to my heart pain and woe, But he suffered thus for my shame, Water cannot wash them away; Jesus, to that Fountain of thine, Leaning on thy promise I go./˘˘˘/˘/////˘˘˘˘///˘/˘˘//˘˘˘//˘/˘˘/˘/˘˘//˘/˘/˘˘//˘˘˘/˘˘//˘˘//˘˘/63A

Refrain

Wash me in the blood of the Lamb, And I shall be whiter than snow, Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow; Wash me in the blood of the Lamb, And I shall be whiter than snow./˘˘˘/˘˘/˘˘˘˘/˘˘//˘˘///˘˘//˘˘˘/˘˘/˘˘˘˘/˘˘/41A

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.