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Hymns for Second Advent Believers 100

Harp Untuned

Studio

1MY harp untuned and laid aside,
(To cheerful hours the harp belongs,)
My cruel foes insulting cried:
"Come, sing us one of Zion's songs."

2Alas! When sinners, blindly bold,
At Zion scoff, and Zion's King;
When zeal declines and love grows cold,
Is it a day for one to sing?

3Time was, whene'er the saints I met,
With joy and praise my bosom glowed;
But now, like Eli, sad I sit,
And tremble for the Ark of God.

4While thus to grief my soul gave way,
To see the work of God decline,
Methought I heard the Saviour say,
Dismiss thy fears, the Ark is mine.

5Though for a time I hide my face,
Rely upon my love and power;
Still wrestle at the Throne of Grace,
And wait for a reviving hour.

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
9.9.8.8
Foot
iambic (da-DUM) · 66% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABAB
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

MY harp untuned and laid aside,˘/???˘/˘/9A
(To cheerful hours the harp belongs,)˘/˘/˘˘/˘/9B
My cruel foes insulting cried:˘/˘///˘/8A
"Come, sing us one of Zion's songs."//˘/˘/˘/8B

Verse 2

Alas! When sinners, blindly bold,˘///˘/˘/8A
At Zion scoff, and Zion's King;˘/˘/˘/˘/8B
When zeal declines and love grows cold,//˘/˘///8A
Is it a day for one to sing?˘˘˘/˘/˘/8B

Verse 3

Time was, whene'er the saints I met,/˘???˘/˘/9A
With joy and praise my bosom glowed;˘/˘/˘/˘/8B
But now, like Eli, sad I sit,˘///˘/˘/8C
And tremble for the Ark of God.˘/˘˘˘/˘/8D

Verse 4

While thus to grief my soul gave way,//˘/˘///8A
To see the work of God decline,˘/˘/˘/˘/8B
Methought I heard the Saviour say,//˘/˘/˘˘/9A
Dismiss thy fears, the Ark is mine.˘///˘/˘/8B

Verse 5

Though for a time I hide my face,/˘˘/˘/˘/8A
Rely upon my love and power;˘/˘/˘/˘/˘9B
Still wrestle at the Throne of Grace,//˘˘˘/˘/8A
And wait for a reviving hour.˘/˘˘˘/˘/˘9B

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.