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Advent Hymnals

Hymns and Tunes 1886 394

Nearer, My God, to Thee

Words: Sarah AdamsTune: Bethany6.4.6.4.6.6.6.4.

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1Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!
E'en though it be a cross
That raiseth me;
Still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

2Though like the wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness be over me,
My rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I'd be
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

3There let the way appear
Steps unto heaven;
All that thou sendest me
In mercy given;
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

4Then, with my waking thoughts
Bright with thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I'll raise;
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

Meter
6.4.6.4.6.6.6.4.
Scripture
Genesis 28:10-22; Romans 8:28

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
6.4.7.4.6.6.6.4 · the hymnal prints 6.4.6.4.6.6.6.4.
Foot
dactylic (DUM-da-da) · 63% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABCDCCCC
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary · * a word sung short, as “heav’n”

Verse 1

Nearer, my God, to thee,/˘˘/˘/6A
Nearer to thee!/˘˘/4A
E'en though it be a cross??/˘˘˘/7B
That raiseth me;˘/˘˘4A
Still all my song shall be,//˘/˘˘6A
Nearer, my God, to thee,/˘˘/˘/6A
Nearer, my God, to thee,/˘˘/˘/6A
Nearer to thee!/˘˘/4A

Verse 2

Though like the wanderer,//˘/˘˘6A
The sun gone down,˘///4B
Darkness be over me,/˘˘/˘˘6C
My rest a stone;˘/˘/4D
Yet in my dreams I'd be/˘˘//˘6C
Nearer, my God, to thee,/˘˘/˘/6C
Nearer, my God, to thee,/˘˘/˘/6C
Nearer to thee!/˘˘/4C

Verse 3

There let the way appear//˘/˘/6A
Steps unto heaven;//˘/4B*
All that thou sendest me/˘//˘˘6C
In mercy given;˘/˘/4D*
Angels to beckon me/˘˘/˘˘6C
Nearer, my God, to thee,/˘˘/˘/6C
Nearer, my God, to thee,/˘˘/˘/6C
Nearer to thee!/˘˘/4C

Verse 4

Then, with my waking thoughts/˘˘/˘/6A
Bright with thy praise,/˘//4B
Out of my stony griefs/˘˘/˘/6C
Bethel I'll raise;/˘//4B
So by my woes to be˘˘˘/˘˘6D
Nearer, my God, to thee,/˘˘/˘/6D
Nearer, my God, to thee,/˘˘/˘/6D
Nearer to thee!/˘˘/4D

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.