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Advent Hymnals

Hymns and Tunes 1886 92

God is love; his mercy brightens

Words: Lizzie S. TourjeeTune: Wellesley8s & 7s

Studio

1God is love; his mercy brightens
All the path in which we rove;
Bliss he wakes, and woe he lightens:
God is wisdom, God is love.

2Chance and change are busy ever;
Man decays, and ages move;
But his mercy waneth never:
God is wisdom, God is love.

3E'en the hour that darkest seemeth
Will his changeless goodness prove;
From the gloom his brightness streameth:
God is wisdom, God is love.

4He with earthly cares entwineth
Hope and comfort from above;
Everywhere his glory shineth:
God is wisdom, God is love.

Meter
8s & 7s

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
8.7.8.7 · as printed
Foot
trochaic (DUM-da) · 76% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABAC

Could also be sung to Rathbun, Birabus, Hinman, Shirley, St Joseph · same meter and stresses; not printed with these words, so try it first.

Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

God is love; his mercy brightens/˘/˘/˘/˘8A
All the path in which we rove;/˘/˘˘˘/7B
Bliss he wakes, and woe he lightens:/˘/˘/˘/˘8A
God is wisdom, God is love./˘/˘/˘/7C

Verse 2

Chance and change are busy ever;/˘/˘/˘/˘8A
Man decays, and ages move;/˘/˘/˘/7B
But his mercy waneth never:˘˘/˘/˘/˘8A
God is wisdom, God is love./˘/˘/˘/7C

Verse 3

E'en the hour that darkest seemeth??˘/˘/˘/˘9A
Will his changeless goodness prove;˘˘???/˘/8B
From the gloom his brightness streameth:˘˘/˘/˘/˘8A
God is wisdom, God is love./˘/˘/˘/7C

Verse 4

He with earthly cares entwineth˘˘/˘/˘/˘8A
Hope and comfort from above;/˘/˘˘˘/7B
Everywhere his glory shineth:/˘/˘/˘/˘8A
God is wisdom, God is love./˘/˘/˘/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.