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Hymns and Tunes 1886 317

He dies! the Friend of sinners dies!

Words: Isaac WattsMusic: Charles WesleyTune: 429, 64, 471

1He dies! the Friend of sinners dies!
Lo, Salem's daughters weep around;
A solemn darkness veils the skies,
A sudden trembling shakes the ground.

2Come, saints, and shed your tears anew
For him who groaned beneath your load;
He shed his precious blood for you,
Then freely be your tears bestowed.

3Here's love and grief beyond degree;
The Lord of glory dies for men!
But lo, what sudden joys we see!
Jesus the dead revives again!

4He lives forever, wondrous King,
Born to redeem, and strong to save;
Then ask, O death, where is thy sting?
And where's thy victory, boasting grave?

Words: Isaac Watts
Music: Charles Wesley
Tune: 429, 64, 471

Public Domain

The verse

Meter: 8.8.8.9
Foot: iambic (da-DUM) · 69% of beats fit
Rhyme: ABAB

Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

He dies! the Friend of sinners dies!˘/˘/˘/˘/8A

Lo, Salem's daughters weep around;//˘/˘/˘/8B

A solemn darkness veils the skies,˘/˘/˘/˘/8A

A sudden trembling shakes the ground.˘/˘/˘˘/˘/9B

Verse 2

Come, saints, and shed your tears anew//˘/˘/˘/8A

For him who groaned beneath your load;˘˘˘/˘/˘/8B

He shed his precious blood for you,˘/˘/˘/˘˘8A

Then freely be your tears bestowed.//˘˘˘/˘/8B

Verse 3

Here's love and grief beyond degree;//˘/˘/˘/8A

The Lord of glory dies for men!˘/˘/˘/˘/8B

But lo, what sudden joys we see!˘/˘/˘/˘/8A

Jesus the dead revives again!/˘˘/˘/˘/8B

Verse 4

He lives forever, wondrous King,˘/˘/˘/˘/8A

Born to redeem, and strong to save;/˘˘/˘/˘/8B

Then ask, O death, where is thy sting?//˘//˘//8A

And where's thy victory, boasting grave?˘///˘˘/˘/9B

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.