FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH

For the beauty of the earth
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies.

Refrain
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. Refrain

For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and mind’s delight,
For the mystic harmony
Linking sense to sound and sight. Refrain

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild. Refrain

For Thy Church, that evermore
Lifteth holy hands above,
Offering upon every shore
Her pure sacrifice of love. Refrain

For each perfect gift of Thine,
To our race so freely given,
Graces human and divine,
Flowers of earth and buds of Heaven. Refrain

About the writer: Folliott Sanford Pierpoint was born in Bath, England in 1835. He was educated at Queen’s College, Cambridge, graduating in 1871. He published a volume of poems in 1878 and contributed a few hymns to the Churchman’s Companion, Lyra Eucharistica, and other publications. He was a life-long member of the Church of England.

Key Verse: In a great chorus they sang, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty! The whole earth is filled with his glory!” –Isaiah 6:3