LET all the earth-born race,
And monsters of the deep,
The fish that cleave the seas,
Or in their bosom sleep;
From sea and shore
Their tribute pay,
And still display
Their Maker's power.
2 Ye vapours, hail, and snow,
Praise ye th' Almighty Lord,
And stormy winds that blow
To execute his word.
When lightnings shine,
Or thunders roar,
Let earth adore
His hand divine.
3 Ye mountains near the skies,
With lofty cedars there,
And trees of humbler size,
That fruit in plenty bear;
Beasts, wild and tame,
Birds, flies, and worms,
In various forms
Exalt his name.
4 Rulers and judges, fear
The Lord, the sovereign King,
And while you rule us here,
His heavenly honours sing;
Nor let the dream
Of power and state,
Make you forget
His power supreme.
5 Virgins and youths engage
To sound his praise divine,
While infancy and age
Their feeble voices join:
Wide as he reigns
His name be sung
By every tongue
In endless strains.
6 Let all the nations fear
The God that rules above;
He brings his people near,
And makes them taste his love:
While earth and sky
Attempt his praise,
His saints shall raise
His honours high.
BEGIN, my soul, th' exalted lay,
Let each enraptured thought obey,
And praise th' Almighty's name.
Lo! heaven and earth, and seas and skies
In one melodious concert rise,
To swell th' inspiring theme.
2 Ye fields of light, celestial plains,
Where gay transporting beauty reigns,
Ye scenes divinely fair;
Your Maker's wondrous power proclaim,
Tell how he formed your shining frame,
And breathed the fluid air.
3 Ye angels catch the thrilling sound ;
While all th' adoring thrones around
His boundless mercy sing;
Let every listening saint above
Wake all the tuneful soul of love,
And touch the sweetest string.
4 Join, ye loud spheres, the vocal choir:
Thou, dazzling orb of liquid fire,
The mighty chorus aid:
Soon as gray evening gilds the plain,
Thou, moon, protract the melting strain,
And praise him in the shade.
5 Let every element rejoice:
Ye thunders, burst with awful voice,
To him who bids you roll:
His praise in softer notes declare,
Each whispering breeze of yielding air,
And breathe it to the soul.
6 Let man, for nobler service made,
The feeling heart, the judging head,
In heavenly praise employ:
Spread his tremendous name around,
Till heaven's broad arch rings back the sound,
The general burst of joy.
7 Ye, whom the charms of grandeur please,
Nursed on the downy lap of ease,
Fall prostrate at his throne;
Ye princes, rulers, all adore;
Praise him ye kings, who makes your power
An image of his own.
8 Let youth its ardent passions move,
To praise the eternal Source of love,
With all its hallowed fire:
Let age take up the tuneful lay,
Sigh his blest name, then soar away,
And ask an angel's lyre.
9 Let saints, redeemed from death and hell,
In louder, loftier numbers tell
The wonders of his grace:
Beyond creation's utmost bounds,
Above her noblest sweetest sounds,
Declare Jehovah's praise.
OUD hallelujahs to the Lord,
From distant worlds where creatures dwell;
Let heaven begin the solemn word,
And sound it dreadful down to hell.
2 The Lord, how absolute he reigns!
Let every angel bend the knee;
Sing of his love in heavenly strains,
And speak how fierce his terrors be.
3 High on a throne his glories dwell,
An awful throne of shining bliss:
Fly through the world, O sun, and tell
How dark thy beams compared to his.
4 Awake, ye tempests, and his fame
In sounds of dreadful praise declare;
Let the sweet whisper of his name
Fill every gentler breeze of air.
5 Let clouds, and winds, and waves agree
To join their praise with blazing fire;
Let the firm earth and rolling sea
In this eternal song conspire.
6 Ye flowery plains, proclaim his skill;
Ye valleys, sink before his eye;
And let his praise from every hill
Rise tuneful to the neighbouring sky.
7 Ye stubborn oaks, and stately pines,
Bend your high branches and adore:
Praise him, ye beasts, in different strains;
The lamb must bleat, the lion roar.
8 Birds, ye must make his praise your theme,
Nature demands a song from you:
While the dumb fish that cut the stream,
Leap up, and mean his praises too.
9 Mortals, can you refrain your tongue,
When nature all around you sings?
O for a shout from old and young,
From humble swains and lofty kings!
10 Wide as his vast dominion lies,
Make the Creator's name be known;
Loud as his thunder shout his praise,
And sound it lofty as his throne.
11 Jehovah! 'tis a glorious word!
O may it dwell on every tongue!
But saints, who best have known the Lord,
Are bound to raise the noblest song.
12 Speak of the wonders of that love
Which Gabriel plays on every chord;
From all below, and all above,
Loud hallelujahs to the Lord!
LET every creature join
To praise th' eternal God;
Ye heavenly hosts, the song begin,
And sound his name abroad.
2 Thou sun with golden beams,
And moon with paler rays,
Ye starry lights, ye twinkling flames,
Shine to your Maker's praise.
3 He built those worlds above,
And fixed their wondrous frame;
By his command they stand or move,
And ever speak his name.
4 Ye vapours, when ye rise,
Or fall in showers or snow,
Ye thunders, murmuring round the skies,
His power and glory show.
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