The Glory of God in Creation and Providence

Verse 1

My soul, thy great Creator praise; When cloth'd in his celestial rays, He in full majesty appears, And like a robe his glory wears.

Verse 2

The heav’ns are for his curtains spread; The unfathomed deep he makes his bed. Clouds are his chariot when he flies On winged storms across the skies.

Verse 3

Angels, whom his own breath inspires, His ministers, are flaming fires; And swift as thought their armies move To bear his vengeance or his love.

Verse 4

The world’s foundation by his hand Is pois'd, and shall for ever stand; He binds the ocean in his chain, Lest it should drown the earth again.

Verse 5

When earth was cover'd by the flood, Which high above the mountains stood, He thunder'd, and the ocean fled, Confin'd to its appointed bed.

Verse 6

The swelling billows know their bound, And in their channels walk their round; Yet thence convey'd by secret veins, They spring on hills, and drench the plains.

Verse 7

He bids the crystal fountains flow, And cheers the valleys as they go; There gentle herds their thirst allay, And for the stream wild asses bray.

Verse 8

From pleasant trees which shade the brink, The lark and linnet light to drink; Their songs the lark and linnet raise, And chide our silence in his praise.

Verse 9

God from his cloudy cistern pours On the parch'd earth enriching show'rs; The grove, the garden, and the field, A thousand joyful blessings yield.

Verse 10

He makes the grassy food arise, And gives the cattle large supplies; With herbs for man of various pow'r, To nourish nature, or to cure.

Verse 11

What noble fruit the vines produce! The olive yields in shining juice; Our hearts are cheer'd with gen'rous wine, His gifts proclaim his love divine..

Verse 12

His bounteous hands our table spread, He fills our cheerful stores with bread; While food our vital strength imparts, Let daily praise inspire our hearts.

Verse 13

Behold the stately cedar stands Rais'd in the forest by his hands: Birds to the boughs for shelter fly, And build their nests secure on high.

Verse 14

To craggy hills, ascends the goat; And at the airy mountain’s foot The feebler creatures make their cell; He gives them wisdom where to dwell.

Verse 15

He sets the sun his circling race, Appoints the moon to change her face; And when thick darkness veils the day, Calls out wild beasts to hunt their prey.

Verse 16

Fierce lions lead their young abroad, And roaring ask their meat from God; But when the morning beams arise, The savage beasts to coverts flies.

Verse 17

Then man to daily labour goes; The night was made for his repose: Sleep is thy gift, that sweet relief From tiresome toil and wasting grief.

Verse 18

How strange thy works! How great thy skill! And ev'ry land thy riches fill: Thy wisdom round the world we see, This spacious earth is full of thee.

Verse 19

Nor less thy glories in the deep, Where fish in millions swim and creep, With wond'rous motions swift or slow, Still wand'ring in the paths below.

Verse 20

There ships divide their wat'ry way, And flocks of scaly monsters play; The huge leviathan resides, And fearless sports amid the tides.

Verse 21

Vast are thy works, almighty Lord, All nature rests upon thy word, And the whole race of creatures stands, Waiting their portion from thy hands.

Verse 22

While each receives his diff'rent food, Their cheerful looks pronounce it good; Eagles and bears, and whales and worms Rejoice and praise in diff'rent forms.

Verse 23

But when thy face is hid they mourn, And dying to their dust return; Both man and beast their souls resign; Life, breath and spirit, all are thine.

Verse 24

Yet thou canst breathe on dust again, And fill the world with beasts and men; A word of thy creating breath Repairs the wastes of time and death.

Verse 25

His works, the wonders of his might, Are honour'd with his own delight: How awful are his glorious ways! The Lord is dreadful in his praise.

Verse 26

The earth stands trembling at thy stroke, And at thy touch the mountains smoke; Yet humble souls may see thy face, And tell their wants to sov'reign grace.

Verse 27

In thee my hopes and wishes meet, And make my meditations sweet: Thy praises shall my breath employ Till it expire in endless joy.

Verse 28

While haughty sinners die accurst, Their glory buri'd with their dust, I to my God my heav'nly King, Immortal hallelujahs sing.