My soul the Lord for ever bless: O God! thy greatness all confess; Whom majesty and honour vest, In robes of light eternal drest. He heaven made his canopy; His chambers in the waters lye: His chariot is the cloudy storm, And on the wings of wind is born. He spirits makes his angels quire, His ministers a flaming fire. He so did earth's foundations cast, It might remain for ever fast: Then cloath'd it with the spacious deep, Whose wave out-swells the mountains steep. At thy rebuke the waters fled, And hid their thunder-frighted head. They from the mountains streaming flow, And down into the vallies go: Then to their liquid center hast, Where their collected floods are cast. These in the ocean met, and joyn'd, Thou hast within a bank confin'd: Not suff'ring them to pass their bound, Lest earth by their excess be drown'd. He from the hills his chrystal springs Down running to the vallies brings: Which drink supply, and coolness yield, To thirsting beasts throughout the field. By them the fowls of heaven rest, And singing in their branches nest. He waters from his clouds the hills; The teeming earth with plenty fills. He grass for cattle doth produce, And every herb for human use: That so he may his creatures feed, And from the earth supply their need. He makes the clusters of the vine, To glad the sons of men with wine. He oil to clear the face imparts, And bread, the strength'ner of their hearts. The trees, which God for fruit decreed, Nor sap, nor moistning virtue need. The lofty cedars by his hand In Lebanon implanted stand. Unto the birds these shelter yield, And storks upon the fir-trees build: Wild goats the hills defend, and feed, And in the rocks the conies breed. He makes the changing moon appear, To note the seasons of the year: The sun from him his strength doth get, And knows the measure of his set. Thou mak'st the darkness of the night, When beasts creep forth that shun the light, Young lions, roaring after prey, From God their hunger must allay. When the bright sun casts forth his ray, Down in their dens themselves they lay. Man's labour, with the morn begun, Continues till the day be done. O Lord! what wonders hast thou made, In providence and wisdom laid! The earth is with thy riches crown'd, And seas, where creatures most abound. There go the ships which swiftly fly; There great Leviathan doth lye, Who takes his pastime in the flood: All these do wait on thee for food. Thy bounty is on them distill'd, Who are by thee with goodness fill'd. But when thou hid'st thy face, they die, And to their dust returned lie. Thy spirit all with life endues, The springing face of earth renews, God's glory ever shall endure, Pleas'd in his works, from change secure.