Psalm CXLVIII

Praise ye the Lord ! let sounds of praise 
     From every mountain-top be poured ;
And from the heavens your voices raise
     In songs of glory to the Lord !

Praise Him, ye angel throngs who stand
     In radiant ranks around his throne—
Ye hosts who wait at his command,
     Make his eternal glory known!

Sun! burning in thy path of light, 
     And flinging thy rich gifts abroad—
Stars! watchers of the solemn Night—
     Praise ye the everlasting God!

Called into being by His word,
     Who still his watch around you keeps; 
Sing praises to the sovereign Lord,
     Ye heavens of heavens — ye upper deeps!

Earth and her water—fire and hail—
     Vapors obedient to His will—
The fleecy snow, the stormy gale,
     His word commissioned to fulfil—

The mountains, tossing to the sky
     Their snowy heads in proud disdain—
The hills beneath whose shadows lie
     The riches of the ripening grain—

Trees, laden with their luscious fruit—
     Cedars, that rise like columns tall—
The creeping insect, and the brute
     Obedient to his master’s call—

The joyous bird, whose winnowing wings
     Are freely to the breezes given;
That soars exaltingly, and sings
     As if its song were learned in Heaven—

Kings of the earth, whose sceptred hand
     Is clothed with majesty and power—
Princes and judges of the land,
     Before whose presence Guilt doth cower—

High-browed Youth, within whose breast
     Heaves darkly Passion’s lava-tide—
Maidens, in virgin beauty dress’d—
     Old Age, with Childhood by his side—

Reverent, let all with glad accord
     Blending their many tones in one,
Shout hallelujahs to the Lord,
     Whose name is excellent alone!—

Whose glory above Earth and Heaven,
     Untarnished, evermore shall dwell—
Praise Him, ye saints! to GOD be given
     The praises of His ISRAEL!