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Advent Hymnals

Hymns and Tunes 1876 116

Return, O wanderer, return

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1Return, O wanderer, return, And seek thy Father's face; Those new desires which in thee burn, Were kindled by his grace.

2Return, O wanderer, return, He hears thy humble sigh; He sees thy softened spirit mourn, When no one else is nigh.

3Return, O wanderer, return, Thy Savior bids thee live; Go to his cross, and grateful learn How freely he'll forgive.

4Return, O wanderer, return, And wipe the falling tear; Thy Father calls—no longer mourn; 'Tis love invites thee near.

5Return, O wanderer, return, Regret thy weary years; The Savior's melting mercies yearn O'er sleep thee in his tears.

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
29
Foot
iambic (da-DUM) · 64% of beats fit
Rhyme
A
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

Return, O wanderer, return, And seek thy Father's face; Those new desires which in thee burn, Were kindled by his grace.˘/˘/˘˘˘/˘///˘/˘/˘/˘˘˘//˘/˘˘˘/29A

Verse 2

Return, O wanderer, return, He hears thy humble sigh; He sees thy softened spirit mourn, When no one else is nigh.˘/˘/˘˘˘/˘///˘/˘///˘/˘//˘//˘/28A

Verse 3

Return, O wanderer, return, Thy Savior bids thee live; Go to his cross, and grateful learn How freely he'll forgive.˘/˘/˘˘˘///˘////˘˘/˘/˘///˘/˘/28A

Verse 4

Return, O wanderer, return, And wipe the falling tear; Thy Father calls—no longer mourn; 'Tis love invites thee near.˘/˘/˘˘˘/˘/˘/˘///˘/˘/˘///////28A

Verse 5

Return, O wanderer, return, Regret thy weary years; The Savior's melting mercies yearn O'er sleep thee in his tears.˘/˘/˘˘˘/˘///˘/˘/˘/˘//////˘˘/28A

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.