The Witness of Nature to God

1 The heavens in their splendor declare
The might and the glory of God,
For day unto day speaks His praise,
And night tells His wisdom abroad.

2 They speak not with audible word,
Yet clear is the message they send;
Their witness goes out through the earth,
Their word to the world's farthest end.

3 Forsaking his tent in the sky,
Arrayed as a bridegroom, the sun
Comes forth in his glorious strength,
Rejoicing his circuit to run.

4 He tells through the length of the heavens
His Maker's great wisdom and might,
And nothing is all of the earth
Is hid from his heat and his light.

5 The law that the Lord has ordained
Is perfect, the soul to restore;
His truth makes the simple most wise,
The truth that is sure evermore.

6 His precepts are righteous and just,
Rejoicing the heart and the mind;
And all His commandments are pure,
Enlight'ning the eyes of the blind.

7 The fear of the Lord is most clean,
Forever unmoved it has stood;
His judgments are perfectly true,
In all things most righteous and good.

8 Such treasure no gold can supply,
Such sweetness no honey afford;
Their warnings none heed and obey
But find most abundant reward.

9 O who can his errors discern?
From hidden faults, Lord, keep me free;
Let pride never reign in my heart,
And clear of great sin I shall be.

10 I pray that my words and my thoughts
May all with Thy precepts accord,
And ever be pleasing to Thee,
My rock, my Redeemer, my Lord.

The Psalter: with responsive readings, 1912