Skip to content

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

Advent Hymnals

SDA Hymnal 203

This Is the Threefold Truth

Words: Fred Pratt GreenMusic: Allen W. FosterTune: [unclear][unclear]

Studio

1This is the threefold truth
On which our faith depends;
And with this joyful cry
Worship begins and ends;

RefrainChrist has died! Christ is risen!
Christ will come again!

2By this we are upheld
When doubt and grief assails
Our Christian fortitude,
And only grace avails.

3This is the threefold truth
Which, if we hold it fast,
Changes the world and us
And brings us home at last.

Tune
[unclear]
Meter
[unclear]

Words © 1980 Hope Publishing Co., Carol Stream, IL 60188. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Music © 1984 Allen W. Foster. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

The verse

Meter
6.7.6.6
Foot
iambic (da-DUM) · 44% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABCB
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

This is the threefold truth˘˘˘///6A
On which our faith depends;˘˘/˘/˘/7B
And with this joyful cry˘˘˘/˘/6C
Worship begins and ends;/˘˘/˘/6B

Verse 2

By this we are upheld˘˘˘˘˘/6A
When doubt and grief assails//˘/˘/6B
Our Christian fortitude,/˘/˘/˘/7C
And only grace avails.˘/˘/˘/6D

Verse 3

This is the threefold truth˘˘˘///6A
Which, if we hold it fast,˘˘˘/˘/6B
Changes the world and us/˘˘/˘˘6C
And brings us home at last.˘/˘/˘/6B

Refrain

Christ has died! Christ is risen!/˘//˘/˘7A
Christ will come again!/˘/˘/5B

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.