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Advent Hymnals

Hymns and Tunes 1876 8

When I survey the wondrous cross

Studio

1When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride.

2See, from his head, his hands, his feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down; Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown!

3Since I, who was undone and lost, Have pardon through his name and word; Forbid it, then, that I should boast, Save in the cross of Christ, my Lord.

4Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a tribute far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my life, my soul, my all.

Also sung to
McCabe (Hymns and Tunes 1886 #315); Hamburg (Hymns and Tunes 1886 #391)

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
32
Foot
iambic (da-DUM) · 70% of beats fit
Rhyme
A
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride./˘˘/˘/˘/˘˘˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/32A

Verse 2

See, from his head, his hands, his feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down; Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown!/˘˘/˘/˘//˘˘///˘/˘///˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/32A

Verse 3

Since I, who was undone and lost, Have pardon through his name and word; Forbid it, then, that I should boast, Save in the cross of Christ, my Lord./˘˘˘˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘˘˘//˘˘/˘/˘/32A

Verse 4

Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a tribute far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my life, my soul, my all.˘˘//˘/˘/˘˘˘/˘////˘˘/˘˘˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/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.