Scripture Verse

What is man, that Thou art mindful of him, and the son of man, that Thou visitest him? For Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field, the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. Psalm 8:4–8

Introduction

portrait
Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Words: Is­aac Watts, The Psalms of Da­vid 1719. Ad­am and Christ, lords of the old and the new cre­ation.

Music: Ab­schied Wen­zel Müll­er, 1828 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Wenzel Müller (1767–1835)

Lyrics

Lord, what was man, when made at first,
Adam the offspring of the dust,
That Thou shouldst set him and his race
But just below an angel’s place?

That Thou shouldst raise his na­ture so,
And make him lord of all below;
Make every beast and bird sub­mit,
And lay the fishes at his feet?

But O what brighter glories wait
To crown the second Ad­am’s state?
What honors shall Thy Son adorn
Who condescended to be born!

See Him below His angels made;
See Him in dust amongst the dead,
To save a ruined world from sin:
But He shall reign with power di­vine.

The world to come, redeemed from all
The miseries that attend the fall,
New made and glo­ri­ous, shall sub­mit
At our exalted Sav­ior’s feet.