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Advent Hymnals

SDA Hymnal 585

When Christ Was Lifted From the Earth

Words: Brian WrenMusic: Gordon SlaterTune: St. BotolphC.M.

Studio

1When Christ was lifted from the earth,
His arms stretched out above
Through every culture, every birth,
To draw an answering love.

2Still east and west His love extends
And always, near or far,
He calls and claims us as His friends
And loves us as we are.

3Where generation, class, or race
Divides us to our shame,
He sees not labels but a face,
A person and a name.

4Thus freely loved, though fully known,
May I in Christ be free
To welcome and accept His own
As Christ accepted me.

Meter
C.M.
Scripture
John 12:32; Romans 15:7

© 1980 by Hope Publishing Co., Carol Stream, IL 60188

The verse

Meter
8.6.8.7 · the hymnal prints C.M.
Foot
iambic (da-DUM) · 69% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABAB
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

When Christ was lifted from the earth,//˘/˘˘˘/8A
His arms stretched out above˘///˘/6B
Through every culture, every birth,//˘/˘/˘/8A
To draw an answering love.˘/˘/˘˘/7B

Verse 2

Still east and west His love extends//˘/˘/˘/8A
And always, near or far,˘///˘/6B
He calls and claims us as His friends˘/˘/˘˘˘/8A
And loves us as we are.˘/˘˘˘˘6B

Verse 3

Where generation, class, or race//˘/˘/˘/8A
Divides us to our shame,˘/˘˘˘/6B
He sees not labels but a face,˘/˘/˘˘˘/8A
A person and a name.˘/˘˘˘/6B

Verse 4

Thus freely loved, though fully known,//˘///˘/8A
May I in Christ be free˘˘˘/˘/6B
To welcome and accept His own˘/˘˘˘/˘/8A
As Christ accepted me.˘/˘/˘˘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.