2 Thou waitest to be gracious still;
Thou dost with sinners bear;
That, saved, we may Thy goodness feel,
And all Thy grace declare.
3 Thy goodness and Thy truth, to me,
To every soul abound;
A vast unfathomable sea,
Where all our thoughts are drowned.
4 Its streams the whole creation reach,
So plenteous is the store;
Enough for all, enough for each,
Enough for evermore.
5 Faithful, O Lord, Thy mercies are,
A rock that cannot move:
A thousand promises declare
Thy constancy of love.
6 Throughout the universe it reigns,
Unalterably sure;
And, while the truth of God remains,
His goodness must endure.
1 GOD is Love: His mercy brightens
All the path in which we rove;
Bliss He wakes, and woe He lightens:
God is Wisdom, God is Love.
2 Chance and change are busy ever;
Man decays, and ages move:
But His mercy waneth never;
God is Wisdom, God is Love.
3 Even the hour that darkest seemeth
Will His changeless goodness prove;
From the gloom His brightness streameth:
God is Wisdom, God is Love.
4 He with earthly cares entwineth
Hope and comfort from above:
Everywhere His glory shineth;
God is Wisdom, God is Love.
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.
Thomas Park. 1807.
1 THE spacious firmament on high,
With all the blue ethereal sky,
And spangled heavens, a shining frame,
Their great Original proclaim.
2 The unwearied sun, from day to day,
Does his Creator's power display,
And publishes to every land
The work of an Almighty Hand.
3 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:
4 Whilst 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.
5 What though in solemn silence all
Move round this dark terrestrial ball,
What though no real voice nor sound
Amidst their radiant orbs be found;
6 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."
Joseph Addison. 1728.
Himmel, Erde, Luft, und Meer.
1 HEAVEN and earth, and sea and air,
All their Maker's praise declare:
Wake, my soul, away and sing,
Now thy grateful praises bring.
2 See the glorious orb of day
Breaking through the clouds his way:
Moon and stars with silvery light
Praise Him through the silent night.
3 See how He hath everywhere
Made this earth so rich and fair;
Hill and vale and fruitful land,
All things living, show His Hand.
4 See how through the boundless sky
Fresh and free the birds do fly;
Fire and wind and storm are still
Servants of His royal Will.
5 See the water's ceaseless flow,
Ever circling to and fro:
From the sources to the sea,
Still it rolls in praise to Thee.
6 Lord, great wonders workest Thou!
To Thy sway all creatures bow:
Write Thou deeply in my heart
What I am, and what Thou art!
From Miss Winkworth. 1858.
Tr. Joachim Neander. 1677.
C. M.
1 THOU wast, O God, and Thou wast blest
Before the world begun;
Of Thine Eternity possest
Before time's glass did run.
Thou needest none Thy praise to sing,
As if Thy joy could fade:
Could'st Thou have needed anything,
Thou couldst have nothing made.
2 Great and good God, it pleased Thee
Thy Godhead to declare;
And what Thy goodness did decree,
Thy greatness did prepare:
Thou spak'st, and heaven and earth appeared,
And answered to Thy call;
As if their Maker's voice they heard,
Which is the creature's all.
3 To whom, Lord, should I sing, but Thee,
The Maker of my tongue?
Lo! other lords would seize on me,
But I to Thee belong,
As waters haste unto their sea,
And earth unto its earth,
So let my soul return to Thee,
From whom it had its birth.
4 But ah! I'm fallen on the night,
And cannot come to Thee:
Yet speak the word, "Let there be light;"
It shall enlighten me.
And let Thy Word, most mighty Lord,
Thy fallen creature raise;
O make me o'er again, and I
Shall sing my Maker's praise.
1 GOD moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform:
He plants His footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.
2 Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never-failing skill,
He treasures up His bright designs,
And works His sovereign will.
3 Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take:
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.
4 Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning Providence
He hides a smiling face.
5 His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour.
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.
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