Skip to content

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

SDA Hymnal 295

Chief of Sinners

Words: [unclear]Music: [unclear]Tune: [unclear][unclear]

1Chief of sinners though I be,
Jesus shed His blood for me;
Died that I might live on high,
Died that I might never die;

RefrainAs the branch is to the vine,
I am His, and He is mine.
Love that found me—wondrous thought!
Found me when I sought Him not;
Safe with Him from earthly strife,
He sustains the hidden life.

2O the height of Jesus' love!
Higher than the heaven above,
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lasting as eternity;

3Chief of sinners though I be,
Christ is all in all to me;
All my wants to Him are known,
All my sorrows are His own;

Words: [unclear]
Music: [unclear]
Tune: [unclear]
Meter: [unclear]

The verse

Meter: 7.7.7.7
Foot: trochaic (DUM-da) · 69% of beats fit
Rhyme: AABB

Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

Chief of sinners though I be,/˘/˘/˘˘7A

Jesus shed His blood for me;/˘/˘/˘˘7A

Died that I might live on high,/˘˘˘/˘/7B

Died that I might never die;/˘˘˘/˘/7B

Verse 2

O the height of Jesus' love!˘˘/˘/˘/7A

Higher than the heaven above,/˘˘˘/˘˘/8A

Deeper than the deepest sea,/˘˘˘/˘/7B

Lasting as eternity;/˘˘˘/˘˘7C

Verse 3

Chief of sinners though I be,/˘/˘/˘˘7A

Christ is all in all to me;/˘/˘/˘˘7A

All my wants to Him are known,/˘/˘˘˘/7B

All my sorrows are His own;/˘/˘˘˘/7B

Refrain

As the branch is to the vine,˘˘/˘˘˘/7A

I am His, and He is mine.˘˘˘˘˘˘/7A

Love that found me—wondrous thought!/˘/˘/˘/7B

Found me when I sought Him not;/˘/˘/˘˘7C

Safe with Him from earthly strife,/˘˘˘/˘/7D

He sustains the hidden life.˘˘/˘/˘/7D

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.