1 WHEN heaven and earth were yet unmade.
When time was yet unknown,
Thou in thy bliss and majesty
Didst live and love alone!
2 Thou wert not born; there was no fount
From which thy being flowed;
There is no end which thou canst reach:
But thou art simply God.
3 How wonderful creation is,
The work that thou didst bless!
And, O! what, then, must thou be like,
Eternal Loveliness!
4 O listen, then, most Pitiful!
To thy poor creature's heart;
It blesses thee that thou art God,
That thou art what thou art!
Glory to God in the Highest.
1 SONGS of praise the angels sang,
Heaven with hallelujahs rang,
When Jehovah's work begun,
When he spake, and it was done.
2 Songs of praise awoke the morn
When the Prince of Peace was born;
Songs of praise arose when he
Captive led captivity.
3 Heaven and earth must pass away,
Songs of praise shall crown that day;
God will make new heavens and earth,
Songs of praise shall hail their birth.
4 And will man alone be dumb,
Till that glorious kingdom come?
No; the church delights to raise
Psalms and hymns and songs of praise.
5 Saints below, with heart and voice,
Still in songs of praise rejoice;
Learning here, by faith and love,
Songs of praise to sing above.
6 Borne upon the latest breath,
Songs of praise shall conquer death;
Then amidst eternal joy
Songs of praise their powers employ.
1 My soul, praise the Lord, speak good of his name! His mercies record, his bounties proclaim;
To God, their Creator, let all creatures raise
The song of thanksgiving, the chorus of praise!
2 Though hid from man's sight, God sits on his throne,
Yet here by his works their Author is known;
The world shines a mirror its Maker to show,
And heaven views its image reflected below.
3 By knowledge supreme, by wisdom divine,
God governs this earth with gracious design;
O'er beast, bird, and insect, his providence reigns,
Whose will first created, whose love still sustains.
4 And man, his last work, with reason endued,
Who, falling through sin, by grace is renewed;
To God, his Creator, let man ever raise
The song of thanksgiving, the chorus of praise!
All Creatures Envoked to Praise God.
1 PRAISE the Lord! ye heavens adore him;
Praise him, angels in the height;
Sun and moon, rejoice before him;
Praise him, all ye stars of light!
2 Praise the Lord, for he hath spoken;
Worlds his mighty voice obeyed;
Laws which never can be broken,
For their guidance he hath made.
3 Praise the Lord, for he is glorious;
Never shall his promise fail;
God hath made his saints victorious,
Sin and death shall not prevail.
4 Praise the God of our salvation,
Hosts on high his power proclaim;
Heaven and earth, and all creation,
Praise and magnify his name!
Creating Wisdom.
1 ETERNAL Wisdom! thee we praise;
Thee the creation sings;
With thy great name rocks, hills, and seas,
And heaven's high palace, rings.
2 Thy hand, how wide it spread the sky!
How glorious to behold!
Tinged with a blue of heavenly dye,
And starred with sparkling gold!
3 The noisy winds stand ready there
Thy orders to obey;
With sounding wings they sweep the air,
To make thy chariot way.
4 There, like a trumpet loud and strong,
Thy thunder shakes our coast,
While the red lightnings wave along,
The banners of thine host.
5 The rolling mountains of the deep
Observe thy strong command;
Thy breath can raise the billows steep,
Or sink them to the sand.
6 Infinite strength and equal skill
Shine through the worlds abroad,
Our souls with vast amazement fill,
And speak the builder, God.
1 My God! all nature owns thy sway;
Thou giv'st the night and thou the day;
When all thy loved creation wakes.
When morning, rich in lustre, breaks,
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