The poetical works of John Nicholson ... Carefully edited from the original editions, with additional notes and a sketch of his life and writings. By W. G. Hird |
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PSALM CXLVIII. PARAPHRASED. |
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 | The poetical works of John Nicholson |  |
PSALM CXLVIII. PARAPHRASED.
Praise ye the Lord! let songs of praise
Through highest heav'ns in chorus ring!
Ye heights, where mortals cannot gaze,
Adore your great eternal King!
Through highest heav'ns in chorus ring!
Ye heights, where mortals cannot gaze,
Adore your great eternal King!
Ye angels, that are clothed in light,
Ye hosts, which marshal at His word,
Ascribe both majesty and night,
In holy concert, to the Lord!
Ye hosts, which marshal at His word,
Ascribe both majesty and night,
In holy concert, to the Lord!
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Shine to His praise, thou glorious sun!
And thou, pale moon, at midnight hour
Adoring in thy orbit run
And show thy great Creator's pow'r!
And thou, pale moon, at midnight hour
Adoring in thy orbit run
And show thy great Creator's pow'r!
Ye comets, too, which wand'ring far,
And in the wide-stretched ether blaze,
Tell ev'ry distant unknown star
To join ye in Jehovah's praise!
And in the wide-stretched ether blaze,
Tell ev'ry distant unknown star
To join ye in Jehovah's praise!
Ye stars, beheld by mortal eyes,
For ever steadfast, fixed and true,
The anthem join—till praise arise
From all the wide extended blue!
For ever steadfast, fixed and true,
The anthem join—till praise arise
From all the wide extended blue!
Ye heav'ns beyond the heav'ns, rejoice!
In praise, ye unknown oceans, roar,
Which heard at first th' Almighty's voice
Bid you to last for evermore!
In praise, ye unknown oceans, roar,
Which heard at first th' Almighty's voice
Bid you to last for evermore!
Fixed in His great eternal throne,
By an unchangeable decree,
To last when ev'ry orb is gone,
Existing through eternity!
By an unchangeable decree,
To last when ev'ry orb is gone,
Existing through eternity!
Ye mountains, lift your heads on high;
In praise toward His throne ascend!
Praise Him, ye lesser hills! reply
In awe, ye oaks,—ye cedars, bend!
In praise toward His throne ascend!
Praise Him, ye lesser hills! reply
In awe, ye oaks,—ye cedars, bend!
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Ye fruitful trees, wave ev'ry bough,
With blossoms or with fruit arrayed!
By ev'ry shrub that blooms below,
Let homage to His name be paid!
With blossoms or with fruit arrayed!
By ev'ry shrub that blooms below,
Let homage to His name be paid!
Thou earth, in songs thy glory give,—
One universal Sabbath keep:
With all that in the ocean live,
And monsters of th' unfathomed deep.
One universal Sabbath keep:
With all that in the ocean live,
And monsters of th' unfathomed deep.
Ye clouds, that crown the mountain's brow,
Fraught with the lightning's vivid blaze,
To distant thunders, deep and low,
Echo on high His awful praise!
Fraught with the lightning's vivid blaze,
To distant thunders, deep and low,
Echo on high His awful praise!
Ye storms of hail, that ride along,
On the wild wings of tempests borne,
Learn in the air the holy song,
And with it to the earth return!
On the wild wings of tempests borne,
Learn in the air the holy song,
And with it to the earth return!
Learn it, ye snows! and ev'ry cloud
That sails in grandeur on the air!
Ye whirlwinds, bear His praise abroad,
And His tremendous pow'r declare!
That sails in grandeur on the air!
Ye whirlwinds, bear His praise abroad,
And His tremendous pow'r declare!
Lions, which in the desert roar,
And all the mighty beasts of prey
That range the unknown forests o'er,
To Him your nightly homage pay!
And all the mighty beasts of prey
That range the unknown forests o'er,
To Him your nightly homage pay!
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Ye creeping reptiles, weak and small,
By man unnoticed and unknown,
Show forth His skill—He formed you all,
Ye live by Him and Him alone!
By man unnoticed and unknown,
Show forth His skill—He formed you all,
Ye live by Him and Him alone!
Ye larks, ascending toward the sky,
Ye birds, which warble in the wood,
With all the various fowls that fly,
Tune your wild notes in praise to God!
Ye birds, which warble in the wood,
With all the various fowls that fly,
Tune your wild notes in praise to God!
Praise Him, ye kings, by mortals crowned;
And ye who judge by earthly law:
Let songs in ev'ry court resound;
Ye princes, bend your plumes in awe!
And ye who judge by earthly law:
Let songs in ev'ry court resound;
Ye princes, bend your plumes in awe!
Ye youths, His sacred name adore;
Ye maidens, on His glories gaze;
Old men, whose earthly joys are o'er,
And infant children, shout His praise!
Ye maidens, on His glories gaze;
Old men, whose earthly joys are o'er,
And infant children, shout His praise!
To God, the great eternal King
(For He alone deserves all praise),
Let joyful hallelujahs ring
Through all creation's boundless space!
(For He alone deserves all praise),
Let joyful hallelujahs ring
Through all creation's boundless space!
The glorious lustre of the sky
Is darkness to th' eternal light
Wherein He dwells enthroned on high,
Below all depth—above all height.
Is darkness to th' eternal light
Wherein He dwells enthroned on high,
Below all depth—above all height.
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Praise Him, ye saints! though last, the best;
Ye whom He still delights to raise
To bliss, and crown you with the blessed,
Close by His throne to sing His praise!
Ye whom He still delights to raise
To bliss, and crown you with the blessed,
Close by His throne to sing His praise!
| The poetical works of John Nicholson | |