Folliot Pierpoint
O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be revered above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
Psalm 96:1-6
For the Beauty of the Earth LBW 561
1 For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the skies,
for the love which from our birth over and around us lies:
Refrain: Christ, our Lord, to you we raise this our sacrifice of praise.
2 For the wonder of each hour of the day and of the night,
hill and vale and tree and flow’r, sun and moon and stars of light: Refrain
3 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
4 For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth and friends above; for all gentle thoughts and mild: Refrain
5 For yourself, best gift divine to the world so freely giv’n;
agent of God’s grand design, peace on earth and joy in heav’n: Refrain
Text: Folliott S. Pierpoint, 1835-1917, alt.
Since the time of the Romans, the town of Bath England, situated on the Avon River, has been one of the most beautiful places on the earth. Surrounded by a natural amphitheater of hills, blessed with warm springs, it has been a place of recreation and healing for over 2000 years.
Folliot Pierpoint, which is about as English a name as you will ever find, was born in Bath and attended nearby Cambridge University. At the age of 29 he returned to Bath and there, late one spring, the natural beauty of the area inspired him to write this hymn. Each stanza thanks God for a different aspect of beauty. It was meant as a communion hymn, each verse ending with the exclamation from Hebrews 13:15 “Christ our Lord to thee we raise, this our sacrifice of praise!”
It is good in these times of quarantine when we are often locked away from others, to take time to appreciate the beauty God has surrounded us with. After a brutal summer, this past week with its moderate temperatures, warm sun, gentle rain, low humidity, was particularly beautiful. We need to tend, more faithfully and well, this garden God has given us. It is ours to use, not to abuse!
Prayer: Lord of all, we take this earth so much for granted, as if it were ours by right. But it is not ours, it is yours. And in your divine grace, you have surrounded us with its beauty. Help us to be more mindful and more thankful of this wondrous gift. Amen.