Hymns and Tunes 1886 140
O for a heart to praise my God
1O for a heart to praise my God,
Which bade their souls to heaven aspire,
Calm in distress, in danger bold!
2Where is that spirit, Lord, which dwelt
In Abram's breast, and sealed him thine?
Which made Paul's heart with sorrow melt,
And glow with energy divine?
3That spirit which from age to age
Proclaimed thy love, and taught thy ways?
Brightened Isaiah's vivid page,
And breathed in David's hallowed lays?
4Is not thy grace as mighty now
As when Elijah felt its power?
When glory beamed from Moses' brow,
Or Job endured the trying hour?
5Remember, Lord, the ancient days;
Renew thy work, thy grace restore;
And while to thee our hearts we raise,
On us thy Holy Spirit pour.
Public Domain
The verse
- Meter
- 8.9.8 · the hymnal prints L.M.
- Foot
- iambic (da-DUM) · 75% of beats fit
- Rhyme
- ABAB
Could also be sung to Old Hundredth, Duke Street, Germany, Deus Tuorum Militum, Federal Street · same meter and stresses; not printed with these words, so try it first.
Scan every line
/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary · * a word sung short, as “heav’n”
Verse 1
Verse 2
Verse 3
Verse 4
Verse 5
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.