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Advent Hymnals

Hymns and Tunes 1886 199

Truth is the gem for which we seek

Words: Charlotte Watkins212, 216, 61

Studio

1Truth is the gem for which we seek,
O tell us where shall it be found!
For all who tread the sacred ground
That truth may by its lustre speak.

2We want the truth on every point,
We want it all to practice by;
Do thou, O Lord, our wants supply
With a fresh unction from on high.

3Were not the ten commandments given
By the great Source of light and truth,
For all who tread that hallowed earth?
From the dark wilderness of heaven.

4Then, as we would our God obey,
In letter and in spirit truly,
O, let us keep the seventh day,
For it is plainly brought to view.

Meter
212, 216, 61

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
8.8.8.8 · the hymnal prints 212, 216, 61
Foot
iambic (da-DUM) · 57% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABBA
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

Truth is the gem for which we seek,/˘˘/˘˘˘/8A
O tell us where shall it be found!˘/˘/˘˘˘/8B
For all who tread the sacred ground˘/˘/˘/˘/8B
That truth may by its lustre speak.˘/˘˘˘/˘/8A

Verse 2

We want the truth on every point,˘/˘/˘/˘˘/9A
We want it all to practice by;˘/˘/˘/˘˘8B
Do thou, O Lord, our wants supply˘/˘//˘/˘/9B
With a fresh unction from on high.˘˘/??˘˘/8B

Verse 3

Were not the ten commandments given˘˘˘/˘/˘/˘9A
By the great Source of light and truth,˘˘//˘/˘/8B
For all who tread that hallowed earth?˘/˘/˘/˘/8C
From the dark wilderness of heaven.˘˘//˘˘˘/˘9D

Verse 4

Then, as we would our God obey,/˘˘˘/˘/˘/9A
In letter and in spirit truly,˘/˘˘˘/˘/˘9B
O, let us keep the seventh day,˘/˘/˘/˘/8A
For it is plainly brought to view.˘˘˘/˘/˘/8C

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.