Scripture Verse

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

Introduction

portrait
J. Albert Johnson
1857–1928

Words: Da­ni­el A. Payne (1811–1893).

Music: Oak­ville J. Al­bert John­son, in The Af­ri­can Me­tho­dist Epis­co­pal Hymn and Tune Book, first edi­tion (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: Af­ri­can Me­tho­dist Epis­co­pal Book Con­cern, 1898), num­ber 55 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Daniel A. Payne
1811–1893

Lyrics

Father above the con­cave sky,
Enthroned in light pro­found,
At Thy com­mand, the light­nings fly,
And thun­ders roar around.

O who can see the beam­ing sun,
The smil­ing moon at night,
The snowy clouds, the count­less stars,
Enrobed with dazz­ling light,

And yet re­fuse to sing Thy praise,
In sweet­est notes of love?
Or echo to an­gel­ic lays,
Which fill the worlds above?

Whene’er I tread the bloom­ing plains
And pluck the frag­rant flow­er,
The lus­cious fruits, the yel­low grains,
I see Thy match­less pow­er.

What moves on earth, or wings the air,
Or swims the swell­ing sea,
Is but a ray of life to point
Immortal man to Thee.