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Advent Hymnals

Hymns and Tunes 1886 296

Hark! what mean those holy voices

Tune: 165, 584, 277

Studio

1Hark! what mean those holy voices,
Sweetly warbling in the skies?
All the heavenly host rejoices,
Jesus' blessed hallelujahs rise.

2Listen to the wondrous story,
Which they chant in hymns of joy:
"Glory in the highest, glory;
Glory be to God most high!"

3Peace on earth, good-will from heaven,
Reaching by us may be found;
Souls redeemed, and sins forgiven;
Loud our golden harps shall sound.

4"Christ is born, the great Anointed;
Heaven and earth his glory sing;
Glad receive whom God appointed,
For your Prophet, Priest, and King."

Tune
165, 584, 277

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
8.8.8.8
Foot
trochaic (DUM-da) · 57% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABCB
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

Hark! what mean those holy voices,/˘/˘/˘/˘8A
Sweetly warbling in the skies?/˘/˘˘˘˘/8B
All the heavenly host rejoices,/˘/˘˘/˘/8C
Jesus' blessed hallelujahs rise./˘//˘/˘/8B

Verse 2

Listen to the wondrous story,/˘˘˘/˘/˘8A
Which they chant in hymns of joy:˘˘/˘/˘/7B
"Glory in the highest, glory;/˘˘˘/˘/˘8A
Glory be to God most high!"/˘˘˘///7C

Verse 3

Peace on earth, good-will from heaven,/˘///˘/˘8A
Reaching by us may be found;/˘˘˘˘˘/7B
Souls redeemed, and sins forgiven;/˘/˘/˘/˘8C
Loud our golden harps shall sound.//˘/˘/˘/8B

Verse 4

"Christ is born, the great Anointed;/˘/˘/˘/˘8A
Heaven and earth his glory sing;/˘˘/˘/˘/8B
Glad receive whom God appointed,/˘/˘/˘/˘8A
For your Prophet, Priest, and King."˘˘/˘/˘/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.