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Advent Hymnals

Hymns and Tunes 1886 393

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Words: Joseph ScrivenTune: Converse8.7.8.7.D.

Studio

1What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer.

2Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

3Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield thee;
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Also sung to
Erie (Christ in Song #329)
Meter
8.7.8.7.D.
Scripture
1 Peter 5:7; Philippians 4:6-7

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
8.7.8.7.8.7.8.7 · as printed
Foot
trochaic (DUM-da) · 72% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABCBDBCB

Could also be sung to Nettleton, Abbot's Leigh, Harwell, All the Way, Autumn · same meter and stresses; not printed with these words, so try it first.

Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

What a friend we have in Jesus,˘˘/˘˘˘/˘8A
All our sins and griefs to bear!/˘/˘/˘/7B
What a privilege to carry˘˘/˘˘˘/˘8C
Everything to God in prayer!/˘/˘/˘/7B
O what peace we often forfeit,˘˘/˘/˘/˘8D
O what needless pain we bear,˘˘/˘/˘/7B
All because we do not carry/˘/˘˘˘/˘8C
Everything to God in prayer./˘/˘/˘/7B

Verse 2

Have we trials and temptations?˘˘/˘˘˘/˘8A
Is there trouble anywhere?˘//˘/˘/7B
We should never be discouraged;˘˘/˘˘˘/˘8C
Take it to the Lord in prayer./˘˘˘/˘/7B
Can we find a friend so faithful˘˘/˘/˘/˘8D
Who will all our sorrows share?˘˘/˘/˘/7B
Jesus knows our every weakness;/˘/˘/˘/˘8E
Take it to the Lord in prayer./˘˘˘/˘/7B

Verse 3

Are we weak and heavy-laden,˘˘/˘????8A
Cumbered with a load of care?/˘˘˘/˘/7B
Precious Savior, still our refuge,/˘/˘/˘/˘8C
Take it to the Lord in prayer./˘˘˘/˘/7B
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?˘//˘/˘//8D
Take it to the Lord in prayer!/˘˘˘/˘/7B
In his arms he'll take and shield thee;˘˘///˘//8D
Thou wilt find a solace there.///˘/˘/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.