Skip to content

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

Advent Hymnals

Church Hymnal 71

My Maker and My King

Words: Isaac WattsMusic: [unclear]Tune: [unclear]S.M.

Studio

1My Maker and my King,
To Thee I lift mine eyes;
O let me ne'er to folly turn,
Nor from Thy precepts stray.

2Make me to walk in Thy commands,
'Tis a delightful road;
Nor let my head or heart or hands
Offend against my God.

3How shall a young man cleanse his way?
By walking in Thy word;
Thy commandments and Thy fear
Shall keep my conscience pure.

4When nature sinks in death,
When speech can be no more,
Then in my last expiring breath
My soul shall trust Thy power.

Music
[unclear]
Tune
[unclear]
Meter
S.M.
Scripture
Psalm 119:9; Psalm 119:105

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
6.6.8.6 · as printed
Foot
iambic (da-DUM) · 63% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABCD
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary · * a word sung short, as “heav’n”

Verse 1

My Maker and my King,˘/˘˘˘/6A
To Thee I lift mine eyes;˘/˘///6B
O let me ne'er to folly turn,˘/˘/˘/˘/8C
Nor from Thy precepts stray.˘˘////6D

Verse 2

Make me to walk in Thy commands,/˘˘/˘/˘/8A
'Tis a delightful road;/˘˘/˘/6B
Nor let my head or heart or hands˘/˘/˘/˘/8A
Offend against my God.˘/˘/˘/6C

Verse 3

How shall a young man cleanse his way?/˘˘///˘/8A
By walking in Thy word;˘/˘˘//6B
Thy commandments and Thy fear/˘/˘˘//7C
Shall keep my conscience pure.˘/˘/˘/6D

Verse 4

When nature sinks in death,//˘/˘/6A
When speech can be no more,//˘˘˘/6B
Then in my last expiring breath/˘˘/˘/˘/8A
My soul shall trust Thy power.˘/˘///6C*

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.