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Advent Hymnals

SDA Hymnal 121

Go, Tell It on the Mountain

Words: John W. Work, Jr.Music: African-American SpiritualTune: Go Tell ItIrregular

Studio

1While shepherds kept their watching
O'er silent flocks by night,
Behold through out the heavens
There shone a holy light.

RefrainGo, tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born!

2The shepherds feared and trembled
When lo! Above the earth
Rang out the angel chorus
That hailed our Savior's birth.

3Down in a lowly manger
The humble Christ was born,
And brought us God's salvation
That blessed Christmas morn.

Scripture
Luke 2:8-20

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
7.6.7.6
Foot
iambic (da-DUM) · 66% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABCB
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

While shepherds kept their watching//˘/˘/˘7A
O'er silent flocks by night,//˘/˘/6B
Behold through out the heavens˘///˘/˘7C
There shone a holy light.//˘/˘/6B

Verse 2

The shepherds feared and trembled˘/˘/˘/˘7A
When lo! Above the earth//˘/˘/6B
Rang out the angel chorus//˘/˘/˘7C
That hailed our Savior's birth.˘//˘/˘/7B

Verse 3

Down in a lowly manger/˘˘/˘/˘7A
The humble Christ was born,˘/˘/˘/6B
And brought us God's salvation˘/˘/˘/˘7C
That blessed Christmas morn.˘//˘/5B

Refrain

Go, tell it on the mountain,//˘˘˘/˘7A
Over the hills and everywhere;/˘˘/˘/˘/8B
Go, tell it on the mountain//˘˘˘/˘7A
That Jesus Christ is born!˘/˘/˘/6C

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.