Praise, To the Creator

Verse 1

BEFORE Jehovah’s awful throne,
Ye nations, bow with sacred joy;
Know that the Lord is God alone;
He can create, and he destroy.

Verse 2

His sovereign power, without our aid,
Made us of clay, and formed us men;
And when like wandering sheep we strayed,
He brought us to his fold again.

Verse 3

We are his people, we his care—
Our souls, and all our mortal frame;
What lasting honors shall we rear,
Almighty Maker, to thy name?

Verse 4

We’ll crowd thy gates with thankful songs,
High as the heavens our voices raise;
And earth, with her ten thousand tongues,
Shall fill thy courts with sounding praise.

Verse 5

Wide as the world is thy command;
Vast as eternity thy love;
Firm as a rock thy truth shall stand,
When rolling years shall cease to move.

Verse 1

Come, oh, my soul, in sacred lays,
Attempt thy great Creator’s praise;
But oh! what tongue can speak his fame?
What mortal verse can reach the theme?

Verse 2

Enthroned amidst the radiant spheres,
He glory like a garment wears;
To form a robe of light divine,
Ten thousand suns around him shine.

Verse 3

In all our Master’s grand designs,
Omnipotence with wisdom shines;
His works, through all this wondrous frame,
Bear the great impress of his name.

Verse 4

Raised on Devotion’s lofty wing,
Do thou, my soul! his glories sing;
And let his praise employ thy tongue,
Till listening worlds applaud the song.

Verse 1

Come, sound his praise abroad,
And hymns of glory sing;
Jehovah is the sov’reign God,
The universal King.

Verse 2

He formed the deeps unknown;
He gave the seas their bound;
The watery worlds are all his own,
And all the solid ground.

Verse 3

Come, worship at his throne;
Come, bow before the Lord;
We are his works, and not our own;
He formed us by his word.

Verse 4

To-day attend his voice,
Nor dare provoke his rod;
Come, like the people of his choice,
And own your gracious God.

Verse 1

Eternal Wisdom! thee we praise,
Thee the creation sings;
With thy loved name, rocks, hills, and seas,
And heaven’s high palace rings.

Verse 2

Thy hand, how wide it spread the sky!
How glorious to behold!
Tinged with a blue of heavenly dye,
And starred with sparkling gold.

Verse 3

Infinite strength and equal skill
Shine through the worlds abroad;
Our souls with vast amazement fill,
And speak the builder--God.

Verse 4

But the sweet beauties of thy grace
Our softer passions move;
Pity divine, in Jesus’ face,
We see, adore, and love.

Verse 1

Hail! great Creator, wise and good!
To thee our songs we raise;
Nature, through all her various scenes,
Invites us to thy praise.

Verse 2

At morning, noon, and evening mild,
Fresh wonders strike our view;
And, while we gaze, our hearts exult
With transports ever new.

Verse 3

Thy glory beams in every star,
Which gilds the gloom of night;
And decks the smiling face of morn
With rays of cheerful light.

Verse 4

And while, in all thy wondrous ways,
Thy varied love we see;
Oh, may our hearts, great God, be led
Through all thy works to thee.

Verse 1

Lord of all being, throned afar,
Thy glory flames from sun and star;
Centre and soul of every sphere,
Yet to each loving heart how near!

Verse 2

Sun of our life, Thy quickening ray
Sheds on our path the glow of day;
Star of our hope, Thy softened light
Cheers the long watches of the night.

Verse 3

Our midnight is Thy smile withdrawn;
Our noontide is Thy gracious dawn;
Our rainbow arch, Thy mercy’s sign;
All, save the clouds of sin, are Thine.

Verse 4

Lord of all life, below, above,
Whose light is truth, whose warmth is love,
Before Thy ever-blazing throne
We ask no lustre of our own.

Verse 5

Grant us Thy truth to make us free,
And kindling hearts that burn for Thee;
Till all Thy living altars claim
One holy light, one heavenly flame.

Verse 1

Lord of all being! throned afar,
Thy glory flames from sun and star;
Center and soul of ev’ry sphere,
Yet to each loving heart how near!

Verse 2

Sun of our life! thy quick’ning ray
Sheds on our path the glow of day;
Star of our hope! thy softened light
Cheers the long watches of the night.

Verse 3

Our midnight is thy smile withdrawn;
Our noontide is thy gracious dawn;
Our rainbow arch thy mercy’s sign;
All, save the clouds of sin, are thine.

Verse 4

Grant us thy truth to make us free,
And kindling hearts that burnt for thee,
Till all thy living altars claim
One holy light, one heavenly flame.

Verse 1

Praise the Lord, ye heavens! adore him;
Praise him, angels in the height!
Sun and moon! rejoice before him;
Praise him, all ye stars of light!

Verse 2

Praise the Lord, for he hath spoken;
Worlds his mighty voice obeyed;
Laws, which never shall be broken,
For their guidance he hath made.

Verse 3

Praise the Lord, for he is glorious;
Never shall his promise fail;
God hath made his saints victorious;
Sin and death shall not prevail.

Verse 4

Praise the God of our salvation,
Hosts on high! his power proclaim
Heaven and earth, and all creation!
Laud and magnify his name.