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SDA Hymnal 224

Seek Ye First the Kingdom

Words: Karen LaffertyMusic: Karen LaffertyTune: LAFFERTYIrregular

Studio

1Seek ye first the kingdom,
'Tis your Father's will.
So the voice of Jesus
bids us follow still.

2As for hidden treasure,
Or for matchless pearl,
When at last discovered,
some will sell their all;

3As the silent leaven
works its secret way,
Or as grows the seed grain
through the night and day;

4As the tender seedling
grows up tall and strong,
And the birds of heaven
to its branches throng;

5Humblest shall be greatest,
poor in spirit reign;
Home shall come the childlike,
born through Thee again;

6Savior, we would hear Thee,
So, when breaks the vision
of that kingdom fair,
So shall all God's children,
Eager hearts arrive there

7And in life's adventure
Ours shall be its riches
Or Thy word with us,
Guide us, the kingdom glorious

8And Thy disciples be.
And its beauty rare.
And Thy kingdom's power.
Of the living God!

Scripture
Matthew 6:33; Matthew 13:44-46

© 1972 Maranatha! Music

The verse

Meter
6.5.6.5
Foot
trochaic (DUM-da) · 60% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABCD
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

Seek ye first the kingdom,///˘/˘6A
'Tis your Father's will./˘/˘˘5B
So the voice of Jesus˘˘/˘/˘6C
bids us follow still./˘/˘/5B

Verse 2

As for hidden treasure,˘˘/˘/˘6A
Or for matchless pearl,˘˘??/5B
When at last discovered,/˘/˘/˘6C
some will sell their all;/˘/˘/5D

Verse 3

As the silent leaven˘˘/˘/˘6A
works its secret way,/˘/˘/5B
Or as grows the seed grain˘˘/˘//6C
through the night and day;/˘/˘/5B

Verse 4

As the tender seedling˘˘/˘/˘6A
grows up tall and strong,/˘/˘/5B
And the birds of heaven˘˘/˘/˘6C
to its branches throng;˘˘/˘/5B

Verse 5

Humblest shall be greatest,/˘˘˘˘/˘7A
poor in spirit reign;/˘/˘/5B
Home shall come the childlike,/˘/˘//6C
born through Thee again;///˘/5D

Verse 6

Savior, we would hear Thee,/˘˘˘//6A
So, when breaks the vision˘//˘/˘6B
of that kingdom fair,˘˘/˘/5C
So shall all God's children,˘˘///˘6D
Eager hearts arrive there/˘/˘//6C

Verse 7

And in life's adventure˘˘/˘/˘6A
Ours shall be its riches/˘˘˘˘/˘7B
Or Thy word with us,˘//˘˘5C
Guide us, the kingdom glorious/˘˘/˘/˘˘8D

Verse 8

And Thy disciples be.˘/˘/˘˘6A
And its beauty rare.˘˘/˘/5B
And Thy kingdom's power.˘//˘/˘6C
Of the living God!˘˘/˘/5D

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.