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Advent Hymnals

Hymns and Tunes 1886 175

Father of mercies, in thy word

Words: Anne SteeleMusic: Carl G. GlaserTune: DENFIELDC. M.

Studio

1Father of mercies, in thy word
What endless glory shines!
Forever be thy name adored
For these celestial lines.

2Here the Redeemer's welcome voice
Spreads heavenly peace around;
And life and everlasting joys
Attend the blissful sound.

3Jesus, thy word with friendly aid
Restores our wandering feet;
Converts the sorrows of the mind
To joys divinely sweet.

4O may these heavenly pages be
My ever dear delight;
And still new beauties may I see,
And still increasing light.

5Divine Instructor, gracious Lord,
Be thou forever near;
Teach me to love thy sacred word,
And view my Saviour here.

Meter
C. M.

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
8.6.8.6 · as printed
Foot
iambic (da-DUM) · 69% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABCB
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary · * a word sung short, as “heav’n”

Verse 1

Father of mercies, in thy word/˘˘//˘//8A
What endless glory shines!˘/˘/˘/6B
Forever be thy name adored˘/˘˘//˘/8C
For these celestial lines.˘˘˘/˘/6B

Verse 2

Here the Redeemer's welcome voice/˘???/˘/8A
Spreads heavenly peace around;//˘/˘/6B*
And life and everlasting joys˘/˘/˘/˘/8C
Attend the blissful sound.˘/˘/˘/6B

Verse 3

Jesus, thy word with friendly aid/˘//˘/˘/8A
Restores our wandering feet;˘/˘/˘/6B*
Converts the sorrows of the mind/˘˘/˘˘˘/8C
To joys divinely sweet.˘/˘/˘/6B

Verse 4

O may these heavenly pages be˘˘˘/˘/˘˘8A*
My ever dear delight;˘/˘/˘/6B
And still new beauties may I see,˘///˘˘˘/8A
And still increasing light.˘///˘/6B

Verse 5

Divine Instructor, gracious Lord,˘///˘/˘/8A
Be thou forever near;˘/˘/˘/6B
Teach me to love thy sacred word,/˘˘///˘/8C
And view my Saviour here.˘/˘/˘/6B

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.