Skip to content

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

Hymns for Second Advent Believers 27

Be of Good Cheer

Studio

1CHRISTIAN, thy warfare soon will be o'er;
Oh, do not fear, do not fear,
Soon thou shalt rest where thy foes come no more,
Be of good cheer, of good cheer.
And though the night be so dreary and long,
What though thy foes be unwearied and strong,
Soon thou shalt join in the conqueror's song–
Be of good cheer, of good cheer.

RefrainBe of good cheer, of good cheer

2What though the billows of life darkly roll,
Oh, do not fear, do not fear;
Friends all forsake thee, and cares press thy soul,
Be of good cheer, of good cheer.
Christian, remember that Christ loves thee still:
Only be faithful, and do Jesus' will,
Soon thou wilt stand with him on Zion's hill–
Be of good cheer, of good cheer.

3Christian, the angels will soon come for thee,
Oh, do not fear, do not fear;
He whom thou lovest in glory thou'lt see,
Be of good cheer, of good cheer.
Oh, if thou wouldst to the end firm endure,
Keep thy robe holy, and spotless and pure,
Victorious faith will make Canaan sure–
Be of good cheer, of good cheer.

4Christian, the shadows will soon flee away,
Oh, do not fear, do not fear;
Then thou wilt enter an eternal day,
Be of good cheer, of good cheer.
In the bright kingdom for ever to dwell,
Join angel choirs and the rich anthem swell;
Bid to thy sorrow a long, long farewell–
Be of good cheer, of good cheer.

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
9.7.10.7.10.10.10.7
Foot
dactylic (DUM-da-da) · 51% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABABCCCB
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

CHRISTIAN, thy warfare soon will be o'er;/˘////˘˘/9A
Oh, do not fear, do not fear,˘˘˘/˘˘/7B
Soon thou shalt rest where thy foes come no more,////////˘/10C
Be of good cheer, of good cheer.˘˘//˘//7B
And though the night be so dreary and long,˘/˘/˘˘/˘˘/10D
What though thy foes be unwearied and strong,˘///˘???˘/10D
Soon thou shalt join in the conqueror's song–////˘˘/˘˘/10D
Be of good cheer, of good cheer.˘˘//˘//7B

Verse 2

What though the billows of life darkly roll,˘/˘/˘˘//˘/10A
Oh, do not fear, do not fear;˘˘˘/˘˘/7B
Friends all forsake thee, and cares press thy soul,//˘//˘////10A
Be of good cheer, of good cheer.˘˘//˘//7B
Christian, remember that Christ loves thee still:/˘˘/˘˘////10C
Only be faithful, and do Jesus' will,/˘˘/˘˘˘/˘˘10C
Soon thou wilt stand with him on Zion's hill–////˘˘˘/˘/10C
Be of good cheer, of good cheer.˘˘//˘//7B

Verse 3

Christian, the angels will soon come for thee,/˘˘/˘˘//˘/10A
Oh, do not fear, do not fear;˘˘˘/˘˘/7B
He whom thou lovest in glory thou'lt see,˘˘//˘˘/˘?/10A
Be of good cheer, of good cheer.˘˘//˘//7B
Oh, if thou wouldst to the end firm endure,˘˘//˘˘//˘/10C
Keep thy robe holy, and spotless and pure,////˘˘/˘˘/10C
Victorious faith will make Canaan sure–˘/˘˘/˘//˘/10C
Be of good cheer, of good cheer.˘˘//˘//7B

Verse 4

Christian, the shadows will soon flee away,/˘˘//˘//˘/10A
Oh, do not fear, do not fear;˘˘˘/˘˘/7B
Then thou wilt enter an eternal day,////˘˘˘/˘/10A
Be of good cheer, of good cheer.˘˘//˘//7B
In the bright kingdom for ever to dwell,˘˘//˘˘/˘˘/10C
Join angel choirs and the rich anthem swell;//˘/˘˘//˘/10C
Bid to thy sorrow a long, long farewell–/˘//˘˘////10C
Be of good cheer, of good cheer.˘˘//˘//7B

Refrain

Be of good cheer, of good cheer˘˘//˘//7A

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.