Skip to content

A copy of Advent Hymnals. Open this page on adventhymnals.org →

Advent Hymnals

Hymns and Tunes 1886 453

Ah! whither should I go

Words: Charles WesleyMusic: Edwin BarnesTune: CONTRITIONS.M.

Studio

1Ah! whither should I go,
Burdened, and sick, and faint?
To whom should I my trouble show,
And pour out my complaint?

2My Saviour bids me come;
Ah! why do I delay?
He calls the weary sinner home,
And yet from him I stay.

3What is it keeps me back,
From which I cannot part?—
Which will not let the Saviour take
Possession of my heart?

4Jesu, set the captive free;
Thy loving power display;
Into the darkest corner see,
And take the prey away.

Meter
S.M.

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
6.6.8.6 · as printed
Foot
iambic (da-DUM) · 62% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABAB
Scan every line

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

Verse 1

Ah! whither should I go,//˘˘˘/6A
Burdened, and sick, and faint?/˘˘/˘/6B
To whom should I my trouble show,˘˘˘˘˘/˘/8A
And pour out my complaint?˘//˘˘/6B

Verse 2

My Saviour bids me come;˘/˘/˘/6A
Ah! why do I delay?//˘˘˘/6B
He calls the weary sinner home,˘/˘/˘/˘/8C
And yet from him I stay.˘/˘˘˘/6B

Verse 3

What is it keeps me back,˘˘˘/˘/6A
From which I cannot part?—˘˘˘/˘/6B
Which will not let the Saviour take˘˘˘/˘/˘/8C
Possession of my heart?˘/˘˘˘/6B

Verse 4

Jesu, set the captive free;??/˘/˘/7A
Thy loving power display;//˘/˘/6B*
Into the darkest corner see,/˘˘/˘/˘/8A
And take the prey away.˘/˘/˘/6B

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.