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SDA Hymnal 186

I've Found a Friend

1I've found a Friend; oh, such a Friend!
He loved me ere I knew Him;
He drew me with the cords of love,
And thus He bound me to Him.

RefrainAround my heart still closely twine
Those ties which naught can sever,
For I am His, and He is mine,
Forever and forever.

2I've found a Friend; oh, such a Friend!
He bled, He died to save me;
And not alone the gift of life,
But His own self He gave me.

3I've found a Friend; oh, such a Friend!
All power to Him is given;
To guard me on my upward course,
And bring me safe to heaven.

4I've found a Friend; oh, such a Friend!
So kind, and true, and tender;
So wise a Counselor and Guide,
So mighty a Defender.

The verse

Meter: 8.7.8.7
Foot: iambic (da-DUM) · 73% of beats fit
Rhyme: ABCB

Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

I've found a Friend; oh, such a Friend!//˘/˘/˘/8A

He loved me ere I knew Him;˘/˘/˘/˘7B

He drew me with the cords of love,˘/˘˘˘/˘/8C

And thus He bound me to Him.˘/˘/˘˘˘7B

Verse 2

I've found a Friend; oh, such a Friend!//˘/˘/˘/8A

He bled, He died to save me;˘/˘/˘/˘7B

And not alone the gift of life,˘˘˘/˘/˘/8C

But His own self He gave me.˘˘//˘/˘7B

Verse 3

I've found a Friend; oh, such a Friend!//˘/˘/˘/8A

All power to Him is given;//˘˘˘˘/˘8B

To guard me on my upward course,˘/˘˘˘/˘/8C

And bring me safe to heaven.˘/˘/˘/˘7D

Verse 4

I've found a Friend; oh, such a Friend!//˘/˘/˘/8A

So kind, and true, and tender;˘/˘/˘/˘7B

So wise a Counselor and Guide,˘/˘/˘˘˘/8C

So mighty a Defender.˘/˘˘˘/˘7B

Refrain

Around my heart still closely twine˘/˘///˘/8A

Those ties which naught can sever,˘/˘/˘/˘7B

For I am His, and He is mine,˘˘˘˘˘˘˘/8A

Forever and forever.˘/˘˘˘/˘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.