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Advent Hymnals

Hymns and Tunes 1876 346

WE'VE no abiding city here

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1WE'VE no abiding city here; Sad truth, were this to be our home; But let this thought our spirits cheer, We seek a city yet to come.

2We've no abiding city here; We seek a city out of sight; Zion its name—the Lord is there, It shines with everlasting light.

3O sweet abode of peace and love, Where pilgrims freed from toil are blest! Had I the pinions of a dove, I'd fly to thee, and be at rest.

4But hush, my soul! I hear the voice; The time my God appoints is best; While here, to do his will my choice, And in his love and mercy rest.

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
34
Foot
iambic (da-DUM) · 67% of beats fit
Rhyme
A
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

WE'VE no abiding city here; Sad truth, were this to be our home; But let this thought our spirits cheer, We seek a city yet to come./˘˘/˘/˘///˘˘˘˘/˘/˘/˘//˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/34A

Verse 2

We've no abiding city here; We seek a city out of sight; Zion its name—the Lord is there, It shines with everlasting light./˘˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘//˘˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/32A

Verse 3

O sweet abode of peace and love, Where pilgrims freed from toil are blest! Had I the pinions of a dove, I'd fly to thee, and be at rest.˘/˘/˘/˘///˘/˘/˘/˘˘˘/˘˘˘///˘/˘˘˘/32A

Verse 4

But hush, my soul! I hear the voice; The time my God appoints is best; While here, to do his will my choice, And in his love and mercy rest.˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘///˘˘˘˘˘/˘˘˘/˘/˘/32A

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.