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Advent Hymnals

Hymns and Tunes 1886 382

Like Sheep We Went Astray

Words: Isaac Watts8s, 6s, & 4s

Studio

1Like sheep we went astray,
And broke the fold of God,—
Each wandering in a different way,
But all the downward road.

2How dreadful was the hour,
When God our wanderings laid,
And did at once his vengeance pour
Upon the Shepherd's head!

3How glorious was the grace,
When Christ sustained the stroke!
His life and blood the shepherd pays,
A ransom for the flock.

4But God shall raise his head
O'er all the sons of men,
And make him see a numerous seed,
To recompense his pain.

Scripture
Isaiah 53:6; 1 Peter 2:25; John 10:11

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
6.6.10.6 · the hymnal prints 8s, 6s, & 4s
Foot
iambic (da-DUM) · 65% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABCD
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

Like sheep we went astray,//˘/˘/6A
And broke the fold of God,—˘/˘/˘/6B
Each wandering in a different way,//˘˘˘˘/˘˘/10A
But all the downward road.˘/˘/˘/6C

Verse 2

How dreadful was the hour,//˘˘˘/˘7A
When God our wanderings laid,///˘/˘˘/8B
And did at once his vengeance pour˘˘˘/˘/˘/8C
Upon the Shepherd's head!˘/˘/˘/6D

Verse 3

How glorious was the grace,//˘˘˘˘/7A
When Christ sustained the stroke!//˘/˘/6B
His life and blood the shepherd pays,˘/˘/˘/˘/8C
A ransom for the flock.˘/˘˘˘/6D

Verse 4

But God shall raise his head˘/˘/˘/6A
O'er all the sons of men,//˘/˘/6B
And make him see a numerous seed,˘/˘/˘/˘˘/9C
To recompense his pain.˘/˘/˘/6D

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.