Scripture Verse

O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth! Who hast set Thy glory above the heavens. Psalm 8:1

Introduction

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Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Words: Is­aac Watts, The Psalms of Da­vid 1719. God’s so­ver­eign­ty and good­ness; and man’s do­min­ion ov­er the crea­tures.

Music: Don­cas­ter Sam­uel Wes­ley, in Psalms and Hymns for the Ser­vice of the Church, 1837 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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Samuel Wesley (1766–1837)
National Portrait Gallery

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Lyrics

O Lord, our heavenly king,
Thy name is all divine;
Thy glories round the earth are spread,
And o’er the heav’ns they shine.

When to Thy works on high
I raise my wondering eyes,
I see the moon, complete in light,
Adorn the darksome skies.

When I survey the stars,
And all their shining forms,
Lord, what is man, that worthless thing,
Akin to dust and worms?

Lord, what is worthless man,
That Thou shouldst love him so?
Next to Thine angels he is placed,
And lord of all below.

Thine honors crown his head,
While beasts, like slaves, obey;
And birds that cut the air with wings,
And fish that cleave the sea.

How rich Thy bounties are!
And wondrous are Thy ways;
Of dust and worms Thy power can frame
A monument of praise.

Out of the mouths of babes
And sucklings Thou canst draw
Surprising honors to Thy name
And strike the world with awe.

O Lord, our heav’nly king,
Thy name is all divine;
Thy glories round the earth are spread,
And o’er the heav’ns they shine.