Skip to content

A copy of Advent Hymnals. Open this page on adventhymnals.org →

Advent Hymnals

Hymns and Tunes 1886 24

Shout to Jehovah, in ancient time

Studio

1Shout to Jehovah, in ancient time,
The psalmist's sacred harp was strung,
Whose blessed sound in songs sublime,
And prophets praised with glowing tongue.

2Not now on Zion's high alone
Thy favored worshipers may dwell,
Nor where, at sultry noon, thy Son
Sat weary by the patriarch's well.

3From every place below the skies,
The grateful song, the fervent prayer—
The incense of the heart—may rise
To heaven, and find acceptance there.

4To thee shall age, with snowy hair,
And strength, and beauty, bend the knee,
And childhood lisp with reverent air
Its praises and its prayers to thee.

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
9.8.7.8
Foot
iambic (da-DUM) · 57% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABAB
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

Shout to Jehovah, in ancient time,/˘˘/˘˘/˘/9A
The psalmist's sacred harp was strung,˘??/˘/˘/8B
Whose blessed sound in songs sublime,˘//˘/˘/7A
And prophets praised with glowing tongue.˘/˘/˘/˘/8B

Verse 2

Not now on Zion's high alone˘/˘/˘/˘/8A
Thy favored worshipers may dwell,//˘/˘˘˘/8B
Nor where, at sultry noon, thy Son˘/˘/˘///8C
Sat weary by the patriarch's well.//˘˘˘/˘//9B

Verse 3

From every place below the skies,˘/˘˘/˘/˘/9A
The grateful song, the fervent prayer—˘/˘/˘/˘/8B
The incense of the heart—may rise˘//˘˘/˘/8A
To heaven, and find acceptance there.˘/˘˘/˘/˘/9B

Verse 4

To thee shall age, with snowy hair,˘/˘/˘/˘/8A
And strength, and beauty, bend the knee,˘/˘/˘/˘/8B
And childhood lisp with reverent air˘///˘/˘˘/9A
Its praises and its prayers to thee.˘/˘˘˘/˘/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.