The noblest subject swells my lofty lay

Verse 1

The noblest subject swells my lofty lay, The Lord Jehovah--I his pow'r display; The Lord Jehovah, great creator--God, Who darts his dazzling glories all abroad;

Verse 2

Who's in tremendous majesty array'd, With beamy light, as with a garment, clad:

Verse 3

Who, like a curtain, spreads th' etherial plains In yon wide arch suspends his fleecy rains, By winds supported, makes the clouds his car, And rides triumphant in the ambient air.

Verse 4

Around him wait his bright angelic train, Ready to bear his dread behests to man; Unbodied forms and essences divine That fleet like aether, and like fire that shine.

Verse 5

Firm on her base the solid earth he plac'd, And 'gainst th' asaults of time secur'd her fast;

Verse 6

The earth he cover'd with a watery flood; High 'bove the loftiest hills the surges stood;

Verse 7

But in tremendous thunder when he spoke, Soon they subsided at his stern rebuke;

Verse 8

The hills they leave, and seek the level plain, And to their wonted depths return amain.

Verse 9

The bounds permitted them to pass no more; No more they on the delug'd mountains roar.

Verse 10

A long the vales, amid the tow'ring hills, In sweet meanders flow the bubling rills;

Verse 11

Whence the wild bestials of the wilderness, And the rejoicing flocks, their thirst appease.

Verse 12

All on their margin, the aerial choir, Whose guileless loves their slender throats inspire, Perch on the trees, and with their tuneful lay Ravish the plains, and cheat the ling'ring day.

Verse 13

Down from his stores he sends his fruitful rains; Feel their glad influence strait the meads, the plains; All earth is strait with flow'rs, with herbage gay;

Verse 14

Rejoices man; the herds in rapture play; The lovely prospect fills the heart with joy;

Verse 15

But what transporting strains our tongues employ, When the smooth oils around our temples shine, When high-enraptur'd with the racy wine; When, by the bounty of our maker, fed, New strength, new vigour, is supplied by bread?

Verse 16

Nor less from him each vegetable tribe Their sap receive--th' enliv'ning juice imbibe

Verse 17

The tow'ring cedars where the eagles build, The firs that to the storks fit refuge yield!

Verse 18

The wanton goats along the mountains rove; While the rough craggy cliff the coneys love.

Verse 19

He gives her stated seasons to the moon; He guides in his appointed course the sun;

Verse 20

His is the night; he bids the darkness reign; 'Tis then the howling bestials range the plain; Their haunts they leave, and by fell hunger led, Fall on the flocks, and fill the swains with dread,

Verse 21

Then the young lion with his hideous roar Roams all abroad, the fatlings to devour; To heav'n he roars, and while he prowls for food, Owns, that his sole dependence is on God.

Verse 22

But soon as e'er, with his reviving ray, Comes forth the joyous sun, to gild the day, The bestial-tribes all to their dens retreat,

Verse 23

And his alternate labours man await; The live-long day in constant toil he spends, Till kind indulgent night his travail ends.

Verse 24

Thy works, O God, display thy pow'r divine; Thy glorious works proclaim, that wisdom's thine; Nor earth alone thy mighty gifts can boast;

Verse 25

The sea survey'd, in wonder we are lost. Such countless millions of the finny train, That roam exulting o'er her glassy plain; Their different dimensions who can trace? The varied beauties of the smaller race;

Verse 26

Th' enormous monsters, that with dreadful pride Sport in the waves along the vessel's side; But most, that dread, that huge leviathan, The proud imperious tyrant of the main, Who on her surface insolently plays, And fills th' admiring eye with wild amaze.

Verse 27

O gracious God, all, all in sea, on land, Receive their portion from thy mighty hand; All, all the blessings of thy bounty share, And all employ thy providential care.

Verse 28

Thou giv'st, they gather, their respective food; Thine hand thou open'st, and they're fill'd with good.

Verse 29

And, when thy glad'ning presence is withdrawn, The loss of thy beneficence they mourn; Thou at thy pleasure tak'st their breath away; They die, and strait return to native clay.

Verse 30

Yet not without inhabitants the earth; Thy quick'ning spirit gives new forms a birth; A new creation springs; their stated place They hold, and run successively their race.

Verse 31

Our God with glory shall for ever reign, And will with joy his wond'rous works sustain;

Verse 32

Struck with his presence, quakes the earth with fear; Mov'd at his dread rebuke the hills appear; See, from the hills in curling streams arise, The circling smoak, and darken all the skies.

Verse 33

For me, while breath inspires this vital frame, The glories of my God shall be my theme;

Verse 34

With joy sincere his praises I will sing, And to his honour'd name attune the string,

Verse 35

While impious men by his resentment fall, And direful woes their guilty hearts appall, The great creator shall my soul inspire, Shall fill my tongue, and animate my lyre.