Scripture Verse

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Psalm 19:1

Introduction

Words: J. D. Wick­off, in Sun­shine for Sun­day Schools, by Phi­lip P. Bliss (Cin­cin­na­ti, Ohio, & Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: John Church & George F. Root and Sons, 1873), page 83.

Music: Ma­lat­ya, J. D. Wick­off, 1873 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know Wickoff’s full name, or where to get a good pho­to of him (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

To Thee, O God, glad songs we bring,
For ev­er­more we crown Thee king;
Stretch forth Thine arm, ex­tend Thy sway;
Break on the world Thy ris­ing day.

The migh­ty train of star­ry hosts
In cho­ral strains Thy glo­ry boasts;
From sun to sun the ec­hoes bound,
And dist­ant an­thems swell the sound.

The mount­ains to the val­leys cry,
And ri­vers to the sea re­ply;
The win­ter ice, the sum­mer dew—
All liv­ing things are sing­ing, too.

Glad na­ture’s praise to Thee be­longs,
We crown Thee in our earth­ly songs,
And by our lives we would re­cord
Such praise as Hea­ven gives its Lord.

Glad songs! glad songs! ring out our joy;
Let ho­ly themes our lips em­ploy,
Till earth, re­deemed, shall lift her voice,
And Heav’n shall ec­ho back, re­joice.