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SDA Hymnal 656

O Perfect Love

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

1O perfect Love, all human thought transcending,
Lowly we kneel in prayer before Thy throne,
That theirs may be the love that has no ending,
Whom Thou forevermore dost join in one.

2O perfect Life, be Thou their full assurance,
Of tender charity and steadfast faith,
Of patient hope, and quiet, brave endurance,
With childlike trust that fears nor pain nor death.

3Grant them the joy which brightens earthly sorrow;
Grant them the peace which calms all earthly strife,
And to life's day the glorious unknown morrow
That dawns upon eternal love and life.

Words: [unclear]
Music: [unclear]
Tune: [unclear]
Meter: [unclear]
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; Ephesians 5:31

Public Domain

The verse

Meter: 11.10.11.10
Foot: iambic (da-DUM) · 64% of beats fit
Rhyme: ABAC

Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

O perfect Love, all human thought transcending,˘˘////˘/˘/˘11A

Lowly we kneel in prayer before Thy throne,/˘˘/˘/˘///10B

That theirs may be the love that has no ending,˘/˘˘˘/˘˘˘/˘11A

Whom Thou forevermore dost join in one.˘/????//˘/10C

Verse 2

O perfect Life, be Thou their full assurance,˘˘//˘/˘/˘/˘11A

Of tender charity and steadfast faith,˘/˘/˘˘˘///10B

Of patient hope, and quiet, brave endurance,˘/˘/˘/˘//˘˘11C

With childlike trust that fears nor pain nor death.˘///˘/˘/˘/10D

Verse 3

Grant them the joy which brightens earthly sorrow;/˘˘/˘/˘/˘/˘11A

Grant them the peace which calms all earthly strife,/˘˘/˘///˘/10B

And to life's day the glorious unknown morrow˘˘//˘/˘˘˘//˘12A

That dawns upon eternal love and life.˘/˘/˘/˘/˘/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.