Hymn meter
Short Meter (6.6.8.6)
A hymn's meter counts the syllables in each line of a stanza. Short Meter (6.6.8.6) means each stanza has 4 lines of 6, 6, 8 and 6 syllables — 26 in all. Hymnals print the meter beside each text so that a congregation can sing the words to any tune with the same pattern.
Short Meter is Common Meter with a shorter first line: six, six, eight and six syllables. The compact form suits direct, memorable texts such as “A Charge to Keep I Have” and “Blest Be the Tie That Binds”.
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.
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Tunes in Short Meter (6.6.8.6)
▶ AYLESBURY · 1718 from John Chetham's Psalmody▶ BOYLSTON · Lowell MasonENERGY · William Henry Monk▶ FRANCONIA · Johann Balthasar KönigLABAN · Lowell Mason▶ POTSDAM · Johann Sebastian Bach▶ SELLINGE · John Hullah▶ SOUTHWELL · 1579 from William Daman's PsalterST. ETHELWALD · William Henry Monk▶ ST. THOMAS · Aaron Williams
125 hymns in Short Meter (6.6.8.6)
- Blest Be the Tie That Binds — Blest be the tie that binds
- Come, we that love the Lord — Come, we that love the Lord,
- I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord — I love Thy kingdom, Lord,
- A Charge to Keep I Have — A charge to keep I have,
- My Soul, Be on Thy Guard — My soul, be on thy guard,
- Soldiers of Christ, Arise — Soldiers of Christ, arise
- Grace! 'Tis a Charming Sound — Grace! ’tis a charming sound,
- The Lord's Day — Welcome, sweet day of rest,
- One Sweetly Solemn Thought — One sweetly solemn thought
- Blessedness of Gospel Times — How beauteous are their feet,
- Awake and Sing the Song — Awake, and sing the song
- Come, Sound His Praise — Come, sound His praise abroad,
- How Gentle God's Commands — How gentle God's commands,
- The Horrors of the Second death — Oh, where shall rest be found,
- At Home In Heaven — "Forever with the Lord!"
- Faith in Christ Our Sacrifice — Not all the blood of beasts,
- Evening Song — The day is past and gone,
- The Lord My Shepherd Is — The Lord my Shepherd is,
- We Give Thee But Thine Own — We give thee but thine own,
- Invoking the Spirit — Come, Holy Spirit, come;
- Give to the Winds Thy Fears — Give to the winds thy fears,
- Compassion — Did Christ o'er sinners weep?
- My Soul, Repeat His Praise — My soul, repeat His praise
- Ye servants of the Lord — Ye servants of the Lord,
- The Spirit in Our Hearts — The Spirit in our hearts
- Stand Up, and Bless the Lord — Stand up, and bless the Lord,
- Purity of Heart — Blest are the pure in heart,
- Sow in the Morn Thy Seed — Sow in the morn thy seed,
- And Can I Yet Delay — And can I yet delay
- Resurrection of the Saints — And must this body die?
- Christ's Presence Desirable — My God, my Life, my Love,
- Persevering Grace — To God the only wise,
- Faith in Christ the Savior — Your harps, ye trembling saints,
- The Glories of Adoption — Behold! what wondrous grace
- Christian Love — Let party names no more
- Today is the Accepted Time — Now is the accepted time,
- God's Word Most Excellent, or Sincerity and Watchfulness — Behold the morning sun,
- Behold the Throne of Grace! — Behold the Throne of grace!
- Blest are the sons of peace — Blest are the sons of peace,
- Once More Before We Part — Once more before we part,
- My Times Are in Thy Hand — Our times are in Thy hand.
- The Warning — And will the Judge descend,
- The Church is the Honor and Safety of a Nation — Great is the Lord our God,
- Social Worship — How charming is the place
- This Is the Day of Light — This is the day of light:
- Lord God, the Holy Ghost — Lord God, the Holy Ghost!
- With joy we hail the sacred day
- Teach Me, My God and King — Teach me, my God and King,
- Christ's Commission — Raise your triumphant songs
- Praise for Spiritual and Temporal Mercies — O bless the Lord, my soul!
- Now Is the Day of Salvation — To-morrow, Lord, is Thine,
- Revive Thy Work, O Lord — Revive Thy work, O Lord,
- Living by Faith — If, on a quiet sea,
- Communion with Christ and with Saints — Jesus invites His saints
- Safety in God — When, overwhelmed with grief,
- Dead in Trespasses and Sins — How helpless guilty nature lies,
- And Are We Yet Alive — And are we yet alive,
- Thy name, Almighty Lord — Thy name, Almighty Lord,
- Jesus, who knows full well
- And am I born to die?
- My Spirit On Thy Care — My spirit on thy care,
- O Bless the Lord, My Soul — O bless the Lord, my soul!
- Our Heavenly Father! hear — Our heav'nly Father, hear
- Bounteous in Mercy and Goodness — My Maker and my King,
- Funeral of an Aged Minister — Servant of God, well done!
- Seeking God — My God! permit my tongue
- Struggling After Christ — Ah! whither should I go,
- Vital Union to Christ — Dear Saviour! we are Thine,
- The Solemn Midnight Cry — Thou Judge of quick and dead,
- For an Increase of Laborers — Lord of the harvest hear
- The Beauty of the Church; or, Gospel Worship and Order — Far as thy name is known,
- A Morning Hymn — See how the rising sun
- For a Revival — O Lord, Thy work revive
- It Is Not Death to Die — It is not death to die--
- Jesus, We Look to Thee — Jesus, we look to thee,
- Let Me Die the Death of the Righteous — O, for the death of those
- Jesus, at the Feast of Love — Our heavenly Father calls,
- The pity of the Lord — The pity of the Lord,
- His Influences Sought — Come, Holy Spirit, come,
- Jesus, I Live to Thee — Jesus, I live to Thee,
- Morning — We lift our hearts to thee,
- O Lord, Our God, Arise — O Lord our God, arise;
- Dismission — Now let our voices join
- Dangerous Prosperity; or, Daily Devotions encouraged — Let sinners take their course,
- Spirit of Faith, Come Down — Spirit of faith, come down,
- How Shall a Young Man Cleanse His Way? — With humble heart and tongue,
- Still With Thee — Still with Thee, O my God,
- For all Thy Saints, O Lord — For all Thy saints, O Lord,
- The Blessings of His Grace — Blest Comforter divine,
- Universal Praise — Let every creature join
- Christ, My Guide — Jesus, my Truth, my Way,
- Come, Lord, and tarry not — Come, Lord, and tarry not;
- The Pool of Bethesda — Beside the gospel pool
- Holy Fear of God — Ah, how shall fallen man
- God's Wondrous Way Among the Heathen — To bless Thy chosen race,
- A Parting Hymn We Sing — A parting hymn we sing,
- Far from my heavenly home — Far from my heav'nly home,
- It Shall Be Well With the Righteous — What cheering words are these!
- The Book of Nature and Scripture — Behold, the lofty sky
- Lord Jesus, Think on Me — Lord Jesus, think on me,
- Our day of praise is done — Our day of praise is done;
- The Spirit of Prayer — The praying spirit breathe;
- How heavy is the night
- See What a Living Stone — See what a living stone
- Like Sheep We Went Astray — Like sheep we went astray,
- How Can A Sinner Know — How can a sinner know
- Prayers for Infants; or Children, Day by Day Given to God — Great God, now condescend
- O what, if we are Christ's — Oh, what, if we are Christ's,
- Our Fathers; Where Are They? — How swift the torrent rolls
- God Working in the Soul — 'Tis God the Spirit leads
- O Lord, Our Heavenly King — O Lord, our heavenly King,
- Children Dedicated to Christ — The Savior kindly calls
- Like Noah's Weary Dove — Like Noah's weary dove,
- Not What These Hands Have Done — Not what my hands have done
- Kneeling, Pleading, Waiting — Have mercy, Lord, on me,
- The Swift Declining Day — The swift declining day,
- The Nativity of Christ — Behold, the grace appears!
- Distress of Soul — Mine eyes are my desire
- The Saint Happy, the Sinner Miserable — The man is ever blessed,
- Whom Having Not Seen, Ye Love — Not with our mortal eyes
- A Holy God Worshipped with Reverence — Exalt the Lord our God,
- The Mind That Was in Christ — Equip me for the war,
- Sweet is Thy mercy, Lord — Sweet is Thy mercy, Lord;
- Faith Its Author and Preciousness — Faith! ’tis a precious grace,
- Partaking of the Lord's Supper — Jesu, we thus obey