Hymns and Tunes 1886 502
Vain are all terrestrial pleasures
408, 844
1Vain are all terrestrial pleasures,
Mixed with dross the purest gold;
Seek we then for heavenly treasures—
Treasures never waxing old.
Let our best affections center
On the things around the throne:
There no thief can ever enter;
Moth and rust are there unknown.
2Earthly joys no longer please us;
Here we would recognize them all;
Seek our only rest in Jesus—
Him our Lord and Master call.
Faith, our languid spirits cheering,
Points to brighter worlds above;
Bids us look for his appearing,
Bids us triumph in his love.
3May our light be always burning,
And our loins be girded round,
Waiting for our Lord's returning—
Longing for the welcome sound.
Thus the Christian life adorning,
Never need we be afraid,
Should he come at night or morning,
Early dawn or evening shade.
- Meter
- 408, 844
Public Domain
The verse
- Meter
- 9.7.9.7.9.7.8.7 · the hymnal prints 408, 844
- Foot
- trochaic (DUM-da) · 46% of beats fit
- Rhyme
- ABABCDCD
Scan every line
/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary
Verse 1
Verse 2
Verse 3
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.