Scripture Verse

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Psalm 19:1

Introduction

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George T. Thalben-Ball (1896–1987)

Words: A can­ti­cle from the Sep­tua­gint (Be­ne­dic­te). Trans­lat­ed by John S. Black­ie in the Bi­ble Hymn Book, by Ho­ra­ti­us Bo­nar, 1845.

Music: Llan­herne George T. Thal­ben-Ball (1896–1987) (🔊 pdf nwc).

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John S. Blackie (1809–1895)

Origin of the Hymn

This hymn was com­posed by me for the ve­ry beau­ti­ful Bur­schen me­lo­dy, Alt­es Schwei­ge, the mu­sic and words of which will be found in the col­lect­ion Bur­schen Me­lo­dies, pub­lished by me in Tait’s Ma­ga­zine for 1840, vol. vii. p. 259. Ma­ny of these me­lo-dies, though used on con­vi­vi­al oc­ca­sions, have a sol­em­ni­ty about them, in vir­tue of which they are well fit­ted for the ser­vice of the Sanc­tu­ary.

John Blackie

Lyrics

Angels ho­ly, high and low­ly,
Sing the prais­es of the Lord!
Earth and sky, all livi­ng na­ture,
Man the stamp of thy cre­at­or,
Praise ye, praise ye, God the Lord!

Sun and moon bright, night and moon­light,
Starry temp­les az­ure-floored,
Cloud and rain, and wild winds’ mad­ness,
Sons of God that shout for glad­ness,
Praise ye, praise ye, God the Lord!

Ocean hoa­ry, tell His glo­ry,
Cliffs, where tumb­ling seas have roared,
Pulse of wa­ters, blithe­ly beat­ing,
Wave ad­vanc­ing, wave re­treat­ing,
Praise ye, praise ye, God the Lord!

Rock and high­land, wood and is­land,
Crag where ea­gle’s pride hath soared;
Mighty moun­tains, pur­ple breast­ed,
Peaks cloud-cleav­ing, snowy crest­ed,
Praise ye, praise ye, God the Lord!

Rolling ri­ver, praise Him ev­er,
From the mount­ain’s deep vein poured;
Silver foun­tain, clear­ly gush­ing,
Troubled tor­rent, mad­ly rush­ing,
Praise ye, praise ye, God the Lord!

Bond and free man, land and sea man,
Earth, with peo­ples wide­ly stored;
Wanderer lone o’er prair­ies am­ple,
Full-voiced choir, in cost­ly tem­ple,
Praise ye, praise ye, God the Lord!

Praise Him ev­er, boun­te­ous Giver!
Praise Him, Fa­ther, friend and Lord!
Each glad soul its free course wing­ing,
Each blithe voice its free song sing­ng,
Praise the great and migh­ty Lord!