(Heb. 1)
LIFT up thine eyes
To yonder skies;
Behold their varied grandeur!
The golden sun,
The silver moon,
The stars, in all their splendor!
How great the power
That, hour by hour,
Controls the planets’ motion;
That guides each world
In ether hurl’d,
Like ships upon the weak!
The power that wrought,
When God, from naught,
Spake forth the fair creation,
Alone controls
Each orb that rolls,
And gives each star its station.
Almighty Lord!
Who, by Thy word,
The weight of worlds sustainest,
Though they decay
And pass away,
Thou e’er the same remainest.
Thou gavest birth
Unto the earth;
In men didst find Thy pleasure;
And when we fell,
Through craft of hell,
Thy love gave fullest measure:
For Thou didst come
From heav’n,
Thy home,
In human form and fashion,
To bear the ban
For sinful man;
So great was Thy compassion.
O, wond’rous thought,
With glory fraught, —
That He who fram’d Creation,
Who worlds upholds,
Their course controls,
Should die for our salvation!
All-glorious, Thou!
To Thee we bow,
Who know Thy grace and favor;
With joyful heart,
We own Thou art
Creator, and our Saviour.
T.