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Advent Hymnals

Hymns and Tunes 1876 414

Bethany

Studio

2Though like a wanderer,
Daylight all gone,
Darkness be over me,
My rest a stone ;
Yet in my dreams I'd be
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee.

3There let the way appear,
Steps up to Heaven ;
All that thou sendest me,
In mercy given ;
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee.

4Then, with my waking thoughts
Bright with thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I'll raise ;
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee.

Also sung to
Bethany (SDA Hymnal #473, Hymns and Tunes 1886 #394)

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
6.4.6.4.6.6.6.4
Foot
dactylic (DUM-da-da) · 67% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABCDCCCC
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 2

Though like a wanderer,//˘/˘˘6A
Daylight all gone,////4B
Darkness be over me,/˘˘/˘˘6C
My rest a stone ;˘/˘/4D
Yet in my dreams I'd be/˘˘//˘6C
Nearer, my God, to thee,/˘˘/˘/6C
Nearer, my God, to thee,/˘˘/˘/6C
Nearer to thee./˘˘/4C

Verse 3

There let the way appear,//˘/˘/6A
Steps up to Heaven ;/˘˘/˘5B
All that thou sendest me,/˘//˘˘6C
In mercy given ;˘/˘/˘5D
Angels to beckon me/˘˘/˘˘6C
Nearer, my God, to thee,/˘˘/˘/6C
Nearer, my God, to thee,/˘˘/˘/6C
Nearer to thee./˘˘/4C

Verse 4

Then, with my waking thoughts/˘˘/˘/6A
Bright with thy praise,/˘//4B
Out of my stony griefs/˘˘/˘/6C
Bethel I'll raise ;/˘//4B
So by my woes to be˘˘˘/˘˘6D
Nearer, my God, to thee,/˘˘/˘/6D
Nearer, my God, to thee,/˘˘/˘/6D
Nearer to thee./˘˘/4D

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.