Christ — Life and Character

What grace, O Lord, and beauty shone

No. 308
Metre C. M.
Tune EVAN.
Words Sir Edward Denny.
Music William H. Havergal,
Key A-flat major
Singing key A♭ major
Time 2/4
4 stanzas

Words

What grace, O Lord, and beauty shoneAround thy steps below;What patient love was seen in allThy life and death of woe.

For, ever on thy burdened heartA weight of sorrow hung;Yet no ungentle, murmuring wordEscaped thy silent tongue.

Thy foes might hate, despise, revile,Thy friends unfaithful prove;Unwearied in forgiveness still,Thy heart could only love.

O, give us hearts to love like thee!Like thee, O Lord, to grieveFar more for others' sins, than allThe wrongs that we receive.

About this hymn

As printed As printed: running head «CHRIST—LIFE AND CHARACTER.»; hymn number «308» (large), tune name «EVAN. C. M.» centred over the music (condensed capitals), «WILLIAM H. HAVERGAL,» at the right (capitals and small capitals; the header ends with a comma). Stanza 1 is interlinear, between the staves, one line per system, with «1.» before «What» («beau - ty», «A-round», «be - low;», «pa - tient» hyphenated under the notes). Stanzas 2–4 are printed as text in the left column below the music, under the reference line «114, 147, 227.» in italics (= may also be sung to the tunes of hymns 114, 147 or 227). «Sir Edward Denny.» in italics after stanza 4. The print sets a thin space before «;» and «!» («hung ;», «thee !»); it is closed up here. The printer's curly apostrophe is written straight («others'»). Spelling, punctuation and capitals are the print's («For, ever», «Unwearied»). Lines 2 and 4 of each stanza are indented in the print.