The Christian — Godly Life

Nearer, my God, to thee

No. 655
Metre 6s & 4s.
Tune BETHANY.
Words Sarah F. Adams.
Music Lowell Mason.
Key G major
Singing key F major
Time 6/4
5 stanzas

Words

Nearer, my God, to thee,Nearer to thee!E'en though it be a crossThat raiseth me!Still all my song shall be,Nearer, my God, to thee,Nearer, my God, to thee,Nearer to thee.

Though like a wanderer,Daylight all gone,Darkness be over me,My rest a stone;Yet in my dreams I'd beNearer, my God, to thee,Nearer, my God, to thee,Nearer to thee.

There let the way appear,Steps up to heaven;All that thou sendest me,In mercy given;Angels to beckon meNearer, my God, to thee,Nearer, my God, to thee,Nearer to thee.

Then, with my waking thoughtsBright with thy praise,Out of my stony griefsBethel I'll raise;So by my woes to beNearer, my God, to thee,Nearer, my God, to thee,Nearer to thee.

Or if, on joyful wingCleaving the sky,Sun, moon, and stars forgot,Upward I fly,Still all my song shall be,Nearer, my God, to thee,Nearer, my God, to thee,Nearer to thee!

About this hymn

As printed As printed: running head «THE CHRISTIAN—GODLY LIFE.»; hymn number «655» (large, left), tune name «BETHANY. 6s & 4s.» centred over the music (condensed capitals), «LOWELL MASON.» at the right (capitals and small capitals); printed vertically in the left margin beside system 2, «By per. O. Ditson & Co.» No reference line is printed. Stanza 1 is interlinear, between the staves, one line per system, with «1.» before «Near-»: «Near - er, my God, to thee, Nearer to thee! E'en though it be a cross That raiseth me!» / «Still all my song shall be, Nearer, my God, to thee, Nearer, my God, to thee, Near - er to thee.» Stanzas 2–5 are printed as eight-line text in the left column below the music, followed by «Sarah F. Adams.» in italics; hymn 656 fills the right column. The stanza numbers of the text stanzas are printed without a full stop («2 Though»); they are numbered «2.»–«5.» here like stanza 1. Lines 2, 4 and 8 of each stanza are indented in the print. The printer's thin space before «!» and «;» («thee !», «stone ;», «heaven ;») is closed up here; the apostrophes are written straight («E'en», «I'd», «I'll»). Spelling, punctuation and capitals are the print's.