Analysis of God Moves In A Mysterious Way

William Cowper 1731 (Berkhamsted) – 1800 (Dereham)



God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never-failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs,
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.


Scheme XAXA BCBC DEDE XFXF XGXG XHGH
Poetic Form Quatrain 
Metre 110001001 110101 1111001 010101 10010001 110101 11011101 011101 11011101 011111 11110011 010111 11011101 111111 01010100 110101 11001101 01010010 01110101 1111010 111111 011101 11110100 011111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 693
Words 132
Sentences 7
Stanzas 6
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 24
Letters per line (avg) 23
Words per line (avg) 5
Letters per stanza (avg) 93
Words per stanza (avg) 22
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 17, 2023

39 sec read
300

William Cowper

William Macquarie Cowper was an Australian Anglican archdeacon and Dean of Sydney. more…

All William Cowper poems | William Cowper Books

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