Do thither come, their thirst for to refresh. The shady trees along their banks do spring, In which the birds do build, and sit, and sing, Stroking the gentle air with pleasant notes, Plaining or chirping through their warbling throats. The higher grounds, where waters cannot rise, By rain and dews are watered from the skies, Causing the earth put forth the grass for beasts, And garden-herbs, served at the greatest feasts, And bread that is all viands' firmament, And gives a firm and solid nourishment; And wine man's spirits for to recreate, And oil his face for to exhilarate. The sappy cedars, tall like stately towers, High flying birds do harbour in their bowers; The holy storks that are the travellers, Choose for to dwell and build within the firs; The climbing goats hang on steep mountains' side; The digging conies in the rocks do bide. The moon, so constant in inconstancy, Doth rule the monthly seasons orderly; The sun, eye of the world, doth know his race, And when to show, and when to hide his face. Thou makest darkness, that it may be night, Whenas the savage beasts that fly the light, As conscious of man's hatred, leave their den, And range abroad, secured from sight of men. Then do the forests ring of lions roaring, That ask their meat of God, their strength restoring; But when the day appears, they back do fly, And in their dens again do lurking lie; Then man goes forth to labour in the field, Whereby his grounds more rich increase may yield. O Lord, thy providence sufficeth all; Thy goodness not restrained but general Over thy creatures, the whole earth doth flow With thy great largeness poured forth here below. Nor is it earth alone exalts thy name, But seas and streams likewise do spread the same. The rolling seas unto the lot do fall Of beasts innumerable, great and small; There do the stately ships plough up the floods; The greater navies look like walking woods; The fishes there far voyages do make, To divers shores their journey they do take; There hast thou set the great leviathan, That makes the seas to seethe like boiling pan: All these do ask of thee their meat to live, Which in due season thou to them dost give: Ope thou thy hand, and then they have good fare; Shut thou thy hand, and then they troubled are. All life and spirit from thy breath proceed, Thy word doth all things generate and feed: If thou withdraw'st it, then they cease to be, And straight return to dust and vanity; But when thy breath thou dost send forth again, Then all things do renew, and spring amain, So that the earth but lately desolate Doth now return unto the former state. The glorious majesty of God above Shall ever reign, in mercy and in love; God shall rejoice all his fair works to see, For, as they come from him, all perfect be. The earth shall quake, if aught his wrath provoke;