And the orbs that guild the pole,
Through his boundless ether roll;
For his blessings far extend,
And his mercy knows no end.
4 Thou, O sun, whose powerful ray
Rules the empire of the day;
You, O moon and stars, whose light
Guilds the darkness of the night:
For his blessings far extend,
And his mercy knows no end.
5 He with food sustains, O earth,
All who claim from thee their birth;
Yield the homage that his name
From a creature's lips may claim:
For his blessings far extend,
And his mercy knows no end
HYMN XXIII.
Praise to God, our Creator and Preserver.
1 GIVE to our God immortal praise !
Mercy and truth are all his ways:
Wonders of grace to God belong;
Repeat his mercies in your song.
2 Give to the Lord of Lords renown;
The King of Kings with glory crown :
His mercies ever shall endure,
When lords and kings are known no more.
3 He built the earth; he spread the sky,
And fix'd the starry lights on 'high:
Wonders of grace to God belong.
Repeat his mercies in your song.
4 He fills the sun with morning light;
And bids the moon direct the night;
His mercies ever shall endure,
When suns and moons shall be no more.
5 Give to our God immortal praise,
Mercy and truth are all his ways;
Wonders of grace to God belong,
Repeat his mercies in your song.
6 Through this vain world he guides our feet, And leads us to his heav'nly seat;
His mercies ever shall endure,
When this vain world shall be no more.
All nature invoked to praise the Creator.
1 YE bless'd inhabitants of heaven,
To God be all our praises given;
O praise him in the realms that lie
Above the reach of mortal eye.
2 Praise him, thou sun, that round the pole
With restless course art seen to roll;
Ye moon and stars, his praise repeat;
Praise him ye heavens, his awful seat.
Nor let the heavens his praise confine:
O, all of earth, the chorus join!
Ye beasts, that range th' uncultur'd soil,
Or patient lend to man your toil.
Praise him, each bird that wings the air,
Each reptile, nurtur'd by his care;
And every wind, and every storm,
That duteous his commands perform.
5 Ye youthful bands, and virgin choir,
Each lisping babe, and hoary sire,
Wake to his name your grateful songs;
To him alone all praise belongs.
His glory earth's wide bounds o'erflows,
Nor higher heav'n its limit knows :
O come, your thankful voices raise,
And consecrate to him your praise.
All nature invoked to praise the Creator.
1 LET ev'ey creature join,
To praise the eternal God :
Ye heav'nly hosts, the song begin,
And sound his name abroad,
Thou sun with golden beams,
And moon with paler rays,
Ye starry lights, ye heav'nly flames,
Shine to your Maker's praise.
Ye vapours. when ye rise,
Or fall in show'rs of snow;
Ye thunders, murm'ring round the skies,
His pow'r and glory show.
Wind, hail, and flashing fire,
Agree to praise the Lord,
When ye in dreadful storms conspire
To execute his word.
5 Let earth and ocean know,
They owe their Maker praise :
Praise him, ye wat'ry worlds below,
Ye natives of the seas.
Monarchs of wide command,
Praise ye th' eternal King;
Judges, adore that sovereign hand,
Whence all your honours spring.
United zeal be shown,
His wondrous fame to raise ;
God is the Lord; his name alone
Deserves our endless praise.
HYMN XXVI.
All nature invoked to praise the Creator.
1 O FOR an hymn of universal praise!
Its Maker's fame let ev'ry creature raise;
Ye glorious angels tune the raptur'd lay
Through the fair mansions of eternal day;
His praise let all your shining ranks proclaim,
And teach the distant worlds yoar Maker's name.
2 His glorious power, O radiant sun, display
Far as thy cheering beams diffuse the day;
Ye moon and stars, array'd in softer light,
Recount his wonders to the list'ning night:
His power, ye fair expanded skies, proclaim,
Whose word produc'd the vast stupendous frame.
3 Let each adore the universal Lord :
Through ev'ry land be his great name ador'd;
While loud his praises foaming billows roar,
And seas resound his name from shore to shore ;
Ye tow'ring mountains sound his praise on high,
In joyful notes ye verdant vales reply.
Ye monarchs of the earth, your Lord adore,
To whom ye owe your delegated power;
Ye judges, his impartial law revere;
Be ev'ry sentence guided by his fear;
Let senate, prince, and people, join to raise
The grateful tribute of obedient praise.
All nature invoked to praise the Creator.
1 PRAISE the Lord, let praise employ
In his courts your songs of joy ;
Let the spacious heavens around,
Echo back the selemn sound.
2 Angels, your clear voices raise :
Him ye heav'nly armies praise;
Sun and moon, with borrow'd light;
All ye sparkling eyes of night:
3 Vapours, lightning, hail and snow;
Storros, which, where he bids you, blow;
Waters, hanging in the air;
Heav'n of heav'ns-his praise declare. 4 Let the earth his praise resound; Echoing rocks, and seas profound; Verdant vales, and mountains high; Cedars, tow'ring to the sky.
5 Princes, judges of the earth; All of high or humble birth:
Youths, and virgins, flourishing
In the beauty of your spring:
6 All, whom life and breath inspire,
Come and join the grateful choir:
Come, and all, with one accord,
Join to praise th' Almighty Lord.
Thanks to God, our Preserver.
1 GREAT God! to thee our grateful tongues
United thanks shall raise :
Inspire our hearts to tune the songs
Which celebrate thy praise.
2 From thine almighty forming hand
We drew our vital pow'rs:
Our times revolve at thy command,
In all its circling hours.
8 Thy pow'r, our ever present guard,
From ev'ry ill defends;
While num'rous dangers hover round,
Our help from thee descends.
Beneath the shadow of thy wings,
How sweet is our repose!
The morning light renews the springs
From whence our comfort flows.
5 In celebration of thy praise
We will employ our breath :
And, walking stedfast in thy ways,
Will triumph over death.
HYMN XXIX.
God the guide of his servants.
1 HOW are thy servants bless'd, O Lord!
'How sure is their defence!
Eternal Wisdom is their guide:
Their help, Omnipotenco.
|