Thy glories through creation shine; Our souls confess thy power divine, And songs of cheerful homage raise.
The Invisible Creator declared by his Works.
THE spacious firmament on high, With all the blue ethereal sky,
And spangled heavens a shining frame- Their great Original proclaim.
The unwearied sun, from day to day, Doth his Creator's power display; And publishes, to every land, The work of an almighty hand.
Soon as the evening shades prevail, The moon takes up the wondrous tale; And, nightly, to the listening earth, Repeats the story of her birth;
While all the stars that round her burn, And all the planets, in their turn, Confirm the tidings, as they roll,
And spread the truth from pole to pole.
What though, in solemn silence, all Move round this dark terrestial ball;- What though nor real voice nor sound Amidst their radiant orbs is found :-
In reason's ear they all rejoice, And utter forth a glorious voice; For ever singing, as they shine, 'The hand that made us is divine!'
Devout Contemplation of the Works of God.
YE sons of men! with joy record The various wonders of the Lord; And let his power and goodness sound Through all your tribes, the earth around.
Let the high heavens your songs invite- Those spacious fields of brilliant light, Where sun, and moon, and planets roll, And stars that glow from pole to pole.
Sing earth, in verdant robes array'd— Her trees and flowers, her light and shade- Peopled with life of various forms, Insects, and birds, and beasts, and worms.
View the broad sea's majestic plains, And think how wide its Maker reigns; That band remotest nations joins, And on each wave his goodness shines.
But oh! that brighter world above, Where lives and reigns eternal Love: Thither, my soul, in rapture soar ; There in the land of praise adore.
Wisdom of God in his Works.
SONGS of immortal praise belong
To my almighty God;
Be his my heart, and his my tongue, To spread his name abroad.
How great the works his hand hath wrought! How glorious in our sight! And men, in every age, have sought His wonders with delight.
How most exact is nature's frame! How wise the eternal Mind! His counsels never change the scheme That his first thoughts design'd.
Nature, and time, and earth, and skies, His heavenly skill proclaim : What shall we do to make us wise, But learn to know his name?
To fear his power, to trust his grace, Is our divinest skill:
And he's the wisest of our race, That best obeys his will.
Praise to the Lord of Nature.
O THOU, through all thy works ador'd! Great Power supreme! Almighty Lord! Author of life, whose sovereign sway Creatures of every tribe obey!
Planets, those wandering worlds above, Guided by thee, incessant move; Suns, kindled by a ray divine, In honour of their Maker shine.
From thee proceed heaven's varied stores, The changing wind, the fruitful showers, The flying cloud, the colour'd bow, The moulded hail, the feather'd snow.
Tempests obey thy mighty will; Thine awful mandate they fulfil ; The forked lightnings dart around, And rive the oak, and blast the ground.
The varying seasons all are thine, All govern'd by thy hand divine, Supporting, through thy constant care, The tribes of earth, and sea, and air.
To thee, of life the eternal Spring, Invisible, all-powerful King! One chorus let all creatures raise, One hymn of universal praise.
HAIL, King supreme, all wise and good! To thee our thoughts we raise; While nature's beauties, wide display'd, Inspire our souls with praise.
Thy glory beams in every star Which gilds the gloom of night; And decks the smiling face of morn With rays of cheerful light.
The lofty hill, the humble vale,
With countless beauties shine ; The silent grove, the awful shade, Proclaim thy power divine.
Great nature's God! still may these scenes
Our serious hours engage;
Still may our grateful hearts consult
Thy works' instructive page!
And while, in all thy wondrous works, Thy varied love we see,
Still may the contemplation lead Our hearts, O God! to thee.
God the Creator and Preserver.
GREAT First of beings! Mighty Lord! We praise thy glorious name; Produc'd by thy creating word, Arose this wondrous frame.
Thy voice sent forth the high command; 'Twas instantly obey'd;
And through thy goodness all things stand, Which by thy skill were made.
By thee, through fields of azure, roll Unnumber'd worlds above:
Thy mighty hand sustains the whole; Each creature shares thy love.
By thee the earth its produce yields, And countless myriads live
And trees and plants adorn the fields, And their rich treasures give.
To thee, all-gracious Power! we bow, And would ourselves resign; Accept the praise, accept the vow, And make us ever thine.
'THERE is a God!' all nature speaks,
Through earth and air, through seas and skies:
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