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Advent Hymnals

SDA Hymnal 424

For Thee, O Dear, Dear Country

Words: Bernard of ClunyMusic: Arthur H. MessiterTune: MARIONL.M.D.

Studio

1For thee, O dear, dear country,
Mine eyes their vigils keep;
For very love beholding
Thy holy name, they weep.

RefrainThe mention of thy glory
Is unction to the breast,
And medicine in sickness,
And love, and life, and rest.

2O one, O only mansion!
O Paradise of joy!
Where tears are ever banished
And smiles have no alloy;

3With jasper glow thy bulwarks,
Thy streets with emeralds blaze;
The sardius and the topaz
Unite in thee their rays;

4The cross is all thy splendor,
The Crucified thy praise;
His laud and benediction
Thy ransomed saints shall raise;

5O sweet and blessed country,
The home of God's elect!
O sweet and blessed country
That eager hearts expect!

Tune
MARION
Meter
L.M.D.
Scripture
Revelation 21:18-21; Hebrews 11:16; 1 Peter 1:4

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
7.6.7.6 · the hymnal prints L.M.D.
Foot
iambic (da-DUM) · 75% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABCB
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

For thee, O dear, dear country,˘/˘///˘7A
Mine eyes their vigils keep;//˘/˘/6B
For very love beholding˘/˘/˘/˘7C
Thy holy name, they weep.//˘/˘/6B

Verse 2

O one, O only mansion!˘/˘/˘/˘7A
O Paradise of joy!˘/˘/˘/6B
Where tears are ever banished//˘/˘/˘7C
And smiles have no alloy;˘/˘˘//6B

Verse 3

With jasper glow thy bulwarks,˘/˘///˘7A
Thy streets with emeralds blaze;//˘/˘/6B
The sardius and the topaz˘??˘˘//7C
Unite in thee their rays;//˘/˘/6B

Verse 4

The cross is all thy splendor,˘/˘///˘7A
The Crucified thy praise;˘/˘///6B
His laud and benediction˘/˘/˘/˘7C
Thy ransomed saints shall raise;//˘/˘/6B

Verse 5

O sweet and blessed country,˘/˘//˘6A
The home of God's elect!˘/˘/˘/6B
O sweet and blessed country˘/˘//˘6A
That eager hearts expect!˘/˘/˘/6B

Refrain

The mention of thy glory˘/˘˘//˘7A
Is unction to the breast,˘??˘˘/6B
And medicine in sickness,˘/˘˘˘/˘7C
And love, and life, and rest.˘/˘/˘/6B

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.