2 Thou sun with dazzling rays, And moon that rules the night, Shine to your Maker's praise, With stars of twinkling light: His power declare, Ye floods on high, And clouds that fly In empty air. 3 The shining worlds above In glorious order stand, Or in swift courses move By his supreme command: He spake the word, And all their frame From nothing came To praise the Lord. 4 He mov'd their mighty wheels In unknown ages past, And each his word fulfils While time and nature last: In different ways His works proclaim His wondrous Name, And speak his praise. PAUSE. 5 Let all the earth-born race, And monsters of the deep, The fish that cleave the seas, Or in their bosom sleep, From sea and shore Their tribute pay, And still display Their Maker's power. 6 Ye vapours, hail, and snow, Praise ye Th' almighty Lord, And stormy winds that blow To execute his word: When lightnings shine, Or thunders roar, Let earth adore His hand divine. 7 Ye mountains near the skies, With lofty cedars there, And trees of humbler size, That fruit in plenty bear; Beasts wild and tame, Birds, flies, and worms, In various forms Exalt his Name. 8 Ye kings and judges, fear The Lord, the sovereign King; And while you rule us here, His heavenly honours sing: Nor let the dream Of power and state Make you forget His power supreme. 9 Virgins, and youths, engage To sound his praise divine, While infancy and age Their feebler voices join: Wide as he reigns His Name be sung By every tongue In endless strains. 10 Let all the nations fear The God that rules above; He brings his people near, And makes them taste his love: While earth and sky Attempt his praise, His saints shall raise His honours high. Psalm 148:2. Paraphrased. L. M. Universal praise to God. 1 Loud hallelujahs to the Lord, From distant worlds where creatures dwell: Let heaven begin the solemn word, And sound it dreadful down to hell. Note. This psalm may be sung to the tune of the old 112th or 127th Psalm, if these two lines be added to every stanza, viz. Each of his works his Name displays, But they can ne'er fulfil the praise. Otherwise it must be sung to the usual tunes of the Long Metre. 2 The Lord! how absolute he reigns! Let every angel bend the knee; Sing of his love in heavenly strains, And speak how fierce his terrors be. 3 High on a throne his glories dwell, An awful throne of shining bliss: Fly thro' the world, O sun, and tell How dark thy beams compar'd to his. 4 Awake, ye tempests, and his fame In sounds of dreadful praise declare; And the sweet whisper of his Name Fill every gentler breeze of air. 5 Let clouds, and winds, and waves agree To join their praise with blazing fire; Let the firm earth, and rolling sea, In this eternal song conspire. 6 Ye flowery plains, proclaim his skill; Vallies, lie low before his eye; And let his praise from every hill Rise tuneful to the neighbouring sky.