Hymns and Spiritual Songs, in Three Books ‎#II.CXLVII

II.CXLVII. The creation of the world

1 "Now let a spacious world arise,"
Said the Creator Lord:
At once th'obedient earth and skies
Rose at his sov'reign word.

2 Dark was the deep; the waters lay
Confus'd and drown the land:
He call'd the light; the new-born day
Attends on his command.

3 He bids the clouds ascend on high;
The clouds ascend, and bear
A wat'ry treasure to the sky,
And float on softer air.

4 The liquid element below
Was gather'd by his hand;
The rolling seas together flow,
And leave the solid land.

5 With herbs and plants (a flow'ry birth)
The naked globe he crow'd,
Ere there was rain to bless the earth,
Or sun to warm the ground.

6 Then he adorn'd the upper skies;
Behold the sun appears,
The moon and stars in order rise,
To mark out months and years.

7 Out of the deep th' almighty King.
Did vital beings frame,
The painted fowls of ev'ry wing,
And fish of ev'ry name.

8 He gave the lion and the worm
At once their wondrous birth,
And grazing beasts of various form,
Rose from the teeming earth.

9 Adam was fram'd of equal clay,
Tho' sov'reign of the rest;
Design'd for nobler ends than they,
With God's own image bless'd.

10 Thus glorious in the Maker's eye
The young creation stood;
He saw the building from on high,
His word pronounc'd it good.

11 Lord, while the frame of nature stands,
Thy praise shall fill my tongue:
But the new world of grace demands
A more exalted song.

Text Information

• First Line: "Now let a spacious world arise"
• Title: The creation of the world
• Meter: C. M.
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1793
• Scripture:
  Genesis 1

Tune Information

(No tune information)