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SDA Hymnal 395

As Birds Unto the Genial Homeland

1As birds unto the genial homeland fly,
The winter's cold and low'ring skies to flee,
So seeks my soul Thy gracious presence here
And finds, O God, its rest and peace in Thee.

2Here at Thy shrine we leave all vexing care,
For get the disappointment, grief and tear,
And on the wings of hopeful song and prayer
We rise, and rising feel Thy Spirit here.

3Bless all who spend this night in pain and woe,
The burdened heart, the fainting, and distressed,
Thy comfort send to darkened homes bereaved,
Thy saving help to those by want oppressed.

4Come, Sabbath joy, each trusting heart now fill,
And blissful peace within our homes abide,
May thankful praise each grateful heart now thrill,
And to God's loving care their lives confide

The verse

Meter: 10.10.10.10
Foot: iambic (da-DUM) · 72% of beats fit
Rhyme: ABCB

Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

As birds unto the genial homeland fly,˘//˘˘/˘///10A

The winter's cold and low'ring skies to flee,˘/˘/˘??/˘/10B

So seeks my soul Thy gracious presence here˘/˘///˘/˘/10C

And finds, O God, its rest and peace in Thee.˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/10B

Verse 2

Here at Thy shrine we leave all vexing care,/˘//˘///˘/10A

For get the disappointment, grief and tear,˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/10A

And on the wings of hopeful song and prayer˘˘˘/˘/˘/˘/10A

We rise, and rising feel Thy Spirit here.˘/˘/˘///˘/10B

Verse 3

Bless all who spend this night in pain and woe,//˘/˘/˘/˘/10A

The burdened heart, the fainting, and distressed,˘/˘/˘/˘˘˘/10B

Thy comfort send to darkened homes bereaved,//˘/˘/˘/˘/10C

Thy saving help to those by want oppressed.//˘/˘˘˘/˘/10B

Verse 4

Come, Sabbath joy, each trusting heart now fill,//˘///˘///10A

And blissful peace within our homes abide,˘/˘/˘//˘/˘/11B

May thankful praise each grateful heart now thrill,˘/˘///˘///10A

And to God's loving care their lives confide˘˘//˘/˘/˘/10B

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.