Analysis of How Are Thy Servants Blest, O Lord!

Joseph Addison 1672 (Milston) – 1719 (Holland House, London)



How are Thy servants blest, O Lord!
How sure is their defense!
Eternal wisdom is their guide,
Their help Omnipotence.

In foreign realms, and lands remote,
Supported by Thy care,
Through burning climes they pass unhurt,
And breathe in tainted air.

When by the dreadful tempest borne
High on the broken wave,
They know Thou art not slow to her,
Nor impotent to save.

The storm is laid, the winds retire,
Obedient to Thy will,
The sea, that roars at Thy command,
At Thy command is still.

From all our griefs and fears, O Lord,
Thy mercy sets us free;
While in the confidence of prayer
Our hearts take hold on Thee.

In midst of dangers, fears and death,
Thy goodness we adore;
We praise Thee for Thy mercies past,
And humbly hope for more

Our life, while Thou preservest life,
A sacrifice shall be;
And death, when death shall be our lot,
Shall join our souls to Thee.


Scheme AXXX XBXB XCXC XDXD AEBE XFXF XEXE
Poetic Form Quatrain  (86%)
Metre 11110111 111101 01010111 110100 01010101 010111 11011101 010101 11010101 110101 11111110 110011 01110101 0100111 01111101 110111 111010111 110111 10010011 1011111 01110101 110101 11111101 010111 1011111 01011 011111101 1110111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 872
Words 161
Sentences 9
Stanzas 7
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 28
Letters per line (avg) 24
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 96
Words per stanza (avg) 23
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

48 sec read
121

Joseph Addison

Joseph Addison was an English essayist, poet, playwright, and politician. more…

All Joseph Addison poems | Joseph Addison Books

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