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Hymns and Tunes 1886 225

This day the Lord has called his own

1This day the Lord has called his own;
O, let us, then, his praise declare!
Fix our desires on him alone,
And seek his face from fervent prayer.

2Lord, in thy love thy world rejoice
Which bids the burdened soul be free;
And with united heart and voice
Devote these sacred hours to thee.

3Now let the world's disturbing things
No more our grateful hearts employ,
But faith be taught to stretch its wings
In search of heavenly paradise.

4O, let these earthly Sabbaths, Lord,
Be to our lasting welfare blessed!
The purest comfort here afford,
And fit us for eternal rest.

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
8.8.10.8
Foot
iambic (da-DUM) · 61% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABAB
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

This day the Lord has called his own;˘/˘/˘/˘/8A
O, let us, then, his praise declare!˘/˘/˘/˘/8B
Fix our desires on him alone,//˘˘/˘˘˘˘/10A
And seek his face from fervent prayer.˘/˘/˘/˘/8B

Verse 2

Lord, in thy love thy world rejoice/˘////˘/8A
Which bids the burdened soul be free;˘/˘/˘/˘/8B
And with united heart and voice˘˘˘/˘/˘/8A
Devote these sacred hours to thee.˘/˘/˘/˘˘/9B

Verse 3

Now let the world's disturbing things//˘/˘/˘/8A
No more our grateful hearts employ,˘//˘/˘/˘/9B
But faith be taught to stretch its wings˘/˘/˘/˘/8A
In search of heavenly paradise.˘/˘/˘˘/˘/9C

Verse 4

O, let these earthly Sabbaths, Lord,˘/˘/˘/˘/8A
Be to our lasting welfare blessed!˘˘/˘/˘///9B
The purest comfort here afford,˘/˘/˘/˘/8A
And fit us for eternal rest.˘/˘˘˘/˘/8B

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.