Ye heavens, send forth your song of praise

Verse 1

Ye heav’ns send forth your song of praise! earth, raise your voice below! Let hills and mountains join the hymn, and joy through nature flow.

Verse 2

Behold how gracious is our God! hear the consoling strains, in which he cheers our drooping hearts, and mitigates our pains.

Verse 3

Cease ye, when days of darkness come, in sad dismay to mourn, as if the Lord could leave his saints forsaken or forlorn.

Verse 4

Can the fond mother e’er forget the infant whom she bore? and can its plaintive cries be heard, nor move compassion more?

Verse 5

She may forget: nature may fail a parent’s heart to move; But Sion on my heart shall dwell in everlasting love.

Verse 6

Full in my sight, upon my hands I have engrav'd her name: my hands shall build her ruin'd walls, and raise her broken frame.