Scripture Verse

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Psalm 19:1

Introduction

portrait
George Martin (1844–1916)

Words: Er­nest E. Dug­more, 1884 & 1900.

Music: Chil­ton Fo­li­at George C. Mar­tin, 1897 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Ernest Dugmore
(1843–1925)

Lyrics

Almighty Fa­ther of all things that be,
Our life, our work we con­se­crate to Thee,
Whose heav’ns de­clare Thy glo­ry from above,
Whose earth be­low is wit­ness to Thy love.

For well we know this wea­ry, soil­èd earth
Is yet Thine own by right of its new birth,
Since that great cross up­reared on Cal­va­ry,
Redeemed it from its fault and shame to Thee.

Thine still the change­ful beau­ty of the hills,
The pur­ple val­leys flecked with sil­ver rills,
The ocean glist­en­ing ’neath the gold­en rays;
They all are Thine, and cease­less speak Thy praise.

Thou dost the strength to work­er’s arm im­part;
From Thee the skilled mu­si­cian’s rea­soned art;
The grace of po­et’s pen or paint­er’s hand,
To teach the love­li­ness of sea and land.

Then grant us, Lord, in all things Thee to own,
To dwell within the sha­dow of Thy throne,
To speak and work, to think and live and move
Reflecting Thine own na­ture, which is love.

That so, by Christ re­deemed from sin and shame,
And hal­lowed by Thy Spir­it’s cleans­ing flame,
Ourselves, our work, and all our pow­ers may be
A sac­ri­fice ac­cept­able to Thee.