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Advent Hymnals

Hymns and Tunes 1886 295

From the lips of angels spoken

Music: Henry SmartTune: Regent Square8s & 7s. 6L.

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1From the lips of angels spoken, Tell the song with falling dews;
Was there ever silence broken
With such joyous welcome news?

2Startled shepherds, all awaking,
Hear the long the angels sing;
And their frightened flocks forsaking,
Go to seek the Saviour-King.

3Son of God, in manger lowly,
Prince of light and Lord of love;
King of heaven, high and holy,
Boon on earth from courts above!

4We exalt thee, we adore thee,
We rejoice, and praise thy name;
Every knee shall bend before thee,
Every tongue thy love proclaim.

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
8.7.8.7 · as printed
Foot
trochaic (DUM-da) · 80% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABAB

Could also be sung to Rathbun, Birabus, Hinman, Shirley, St Joseph · same meter and stresses; not printed with these words, so try it first.

Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

From the lips of angels spoken,˘˘/˘/˘/˘8A
Tell the song with falling dews;/˘/˘/˘/7B
Was there ever silence broken˘//˘/˘/˘8A
With such joyous welcome news?˘//˘/˘/7B

Verse 2

Startled shepherds, all awaking,/˘/˘/˘/˘8A
Hear the long the angels sing;/˘/˘/˘/7B
And their frightened flocks forsaking,˘˘/˘/˘/˘8C
Go to seek the Saviour-King./˘/˘???7A

Verse 3

Son of God, in manger lowly,/˘/˘/˘/˘8A
Prince of light and Lord of love;/˘/˘/˘/7B
King of heaven, high and holy,/˘/˘/˘/˘8A
Boon on earth from courts above!/˘/˘/˘/7B

Verse 4

We exalt thee, we adore thee,˘˘//˘˘//8A
We rejoice, and praise thy name;˘˘/˘///7B
Every knee shall bend before thee,/˘/˘/˘//8A
Every tongue thy love proclaim./˘///˘/7B

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.