For the beauty of the earth,
For the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the beauty of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon, and stars of light,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise

For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and mind's delight,
For the mystic harmony
Linking sense to sound and sight,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

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For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth, and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For each perfect gift of thine
To our race so freely given,
Graces human and divine,
Flowers of earth and buds of heaven,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

Amen.

Folliett Sandford Pierpoint originally wrote this hymn for use during the Communion of the High Anglican Church. The original refrain "Christ, our God, to thee we raise; This our sacrifice of praise" was meant to mirror the portrayal of Christ's ultimate sacrifice -- just as the host would be lifted during the communion as a token of God's gift to us, a "sacrifice of praise" would be lifted in return. Later editions of the text emphasize the thanksgiving aspect of the verses. --Greg Scheer, 1995