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Advent Hymnals

SDA Hymnal 23

Now the Joyful Bells A-Ringing

Words: TraditionalMusic: TraditionalTune: Joyful Bells8.7.8.7.D with refrain

Studio

1Now the joyful bells a-ringing,
All ye mountains praise the Lord!
Lift our hearts like birds a-winging,
All ye mountains, praise the Lord!

RefrainNow our festal season bringing
Kinsmen all to bide and board,
Sets our cheery voices singing;
All ye mountains, praise the Lord!

2Dear our home as none other,
Where the mountains praise the Lord!
Gladly here we smooth our care,
Where the mountains praise the Lord!

3Cold the year, new whiteness wearing,
All ye mountains, praise the Lord!
Peace, good will to us a-bearing,
All ye mountains, praise the Lord!

Scripture
Psalm 148:9; Isaiah 55:12

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
8.7.9.7 · the hymnal prints 8.7.8.7.D with refrain
Foot
trochaic (DUM-da) · 66% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABCB
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

Now the joyful bells a-ringing,/˘/˘/???8A
All ye mountains praise the Lord!///˘/˘/7B
Lift our hearts like birds a-winging,//˘///???9A
All ye mountains, praise the Lord!///˘/˘/7B

Verse 2

Dear our home as none other,//˘/˘//˘8A
Where the mountains praise the Lord!/˘/˘/˘/7B
Gladly here we smooth our care,/˘/˘//˘/8C
Where the mountains praise the Lord!/˘/˘/˘/7B

Verse 3

Cold the year, new whiteness wearing,/˘///˘/˘8A
All ye mountains, praise the Lord!///˘/˘/7B
Peace, good will to us a-bearing,//˘˘˘???8C
All ye mountains, praise the Lord!///˘/˘/7B

Refrain

Now our festal season bringing//˘??/˘/˘9A
Kinsmen all to bide and board,??/˘/˘/7B
Sets our cheery voices singing;//˘/˘/˘/˘9A
All ye mountains, praise the Lord!///˘/˘/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.