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SDA Hymnal 281

I Gave My Life for Thee

Words: Frances R. HavergalMusic: Philip P. BlissTune: BACA6.6.6.6.6.6

1I gave My life for thee, My precious blood I shed,
That thou might'st ransomed be, And quickened from the dead;
I gave, I gave My life for thee, What hast thou given for Me?

2My Father's house of light, My glory-circled throne
I left for earthly night, For wand'rings sad and lone;
I left, I left it all for thee, Hast thou left aught for Me?

3I suffered much for thee, More than thy tongue can tell,
Of bitt'rest agony, To rescue thee from hell;
I've borne, I've borne it all for thee, What hast thou borne for Me?

Words: Frances R. Havergal
Music: Philip P. Bliss
Tune: BACA
Meter: 6.6.6.6.6.6
Scripture: 1 Peter 2:21; Galatians 2:20; 1 John 3:16

Public Domain

The verse

Meter: 12.12.15 · the hymnal prints 6.6.6.6.6.6
Foot: iambic (da-DUM) · 76% of beats fit
Rhyme: AAB

Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

I gave My life for thee, My precious blood I shed,˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/12A

That thou might'st ransomed be, And quickened from the dead;˘/?/˘˘˘/˘˘˘/12A

I gave, I gave My life for thee, What hast thou given for Me?˘/˘/˘/˘/˘///˘˘˘15B

Verse 2

My Father's house of light, My glory-circled throne˘/˘/˘/˘????/12A

I left for earthly night, For wand'rings sad and lone;˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/12A

I left, I left it all for thee, Hast thou left aught for Me?˘/˘/˘/˘/////˘˘14B

Verse 3

I suffered much for thee, More than thy tongue can tell,˘/˘/˘//˘//˘/12A

Of bitt'rest agony, To rescue thee from hell;˘??/˘˘˘/˘/˘/12A

I've borne, I've borne it all for thee, What hast thou borne for Me?////˘/˘/˘///˘˘14B

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.