6.5.6.5.6.5 D

A hymn's meter counts the syllables in each line of a stanza. 6.5.6.5.6.5 D means each stanza has 12 lines of 6, 5, 6, 5, 6, 5, 6, 5, 6, 5, 6 and 5 syllables — 66 in all. Hymnals print the meter beside each text so that a congregation can sing the words to any tune with the same pattern.

The “D” means the pattern is doubled: an eight-line stanza made of two 6-line halves. Hymns in less common meters usually have one or two tunes written for them, so they are matched to a tune more strictly. Two texts with the same numbers can still differ in rhythm — some lines stress the first syllable, others the second — so a pairing should always be sung through before it is used in worship.

Below are the hymns in our library written in this meter and the public-domain tunes that fit them. Any text can be sung to any tune listed here; press play to hear a pairing.