FullReads

Cold.

I rouse and goad the slothful, apt to nod,
I stir and urge the laggards with my rod:
My praise is not of men, yet I praise God.

Snow.

My whiteness shadoweth Him Who is most fair,
All spotless: yea, my whiteness which I wear
Exalts His Purity beyond compare.

Vapors.

We darken sun and moon, and blot the day,
The good Will of our Maker to obey:
Till to the glory of God we pass away.

Night.

Moon and all stars I don for diadem
To make me fair: I cast myself and them
Before His feet, Who knows us gem from gem.

Day.

I shout before Him in my plenitude
Of light and warmth, of hope and wealth and food;
Ascribing all good to the Only Good.

Light and Darkness.

I am God’s dwelling-place,–
And also I
Make His pavilion,–
Lo, we bide and fly
Exulting in the Will of God Most High.

Lightning and Thunder.

We indivisible flash forth His Fame,
We thunder forth the glory of His Name,
In harmony of resonance and flame.

Clouds.

Sweet is our store, exhaled from sea or river:
We wear a rainbow, praising God the Giver
Because His mercy is for ever and ever.

Earth.

I rest in Him rejoicing: resting so
And so rejoicing, in that I am low;
Yet known of Him, and following on to know.

Mountains.

Our heights which laud Him, sink abased before
Him higher than the highest evermore:
God higher than the highest we adore.

Hills.

We green-tops praise Him, and we fruitful heads,
Whereon the sunshine and the dew He sheds:
We green-tops praise Him, rising from out beds.

Green Things.

We all green things, we blossoms bright or dim,
Trees, bushes, brushwood, corn and grasses slim,
We lift our many-favored lauds to Him.

Rose,–Lily,–Violet.

I praise Him on my thorn which I adorn,–
And I, amid my world of thistle and thorn,–
And I, within my veil where I am born.

Apple,–Citron,–Pomegranate.

We, Apple-blossom, Citron, Pomegranate,
We, clothed of God without our toil and fret,
We offer fatness where His Throne is set.

Vine,–Cedar,–Palm.

I proffer Him my sweetness, who am sweet,–
I bow my strength in fragrance at His feet,–
I wave myself before His Judgment Seat.

Medicinal Herbs.

I bring refreshment,–
I bring ease and calm,–
I lavish strength and healing,–
I am balm,–
We work His pitiful Will and chant our psalm.

A Spring.

Clear my pure fountain, clear and pure my rill,
My fountain and mine outflow deep and still,
I set His semblance forth and do His Will.

Sea.

To-day I praise God with a sparkling face,
My thousand thousand waves all uttering praise:
To-morrow I commit me to His Grace.

Floods.

We spring and swell meandering to and fro,
From height to depth, from depth to depth we flow,
We fertilize the world, and praise Him so.

Whales and Sea Mammals.

We Whales and Monsters gambol in His sight
Rejoicing every day and every night,
Safe in the tender keeping of His Might.

Fishes.

Our fashions and our colors and our speeds
Set forth His praise Who framed us and Who feeds,
Who knows our number and regards our needs.

Birds.

Winged Angels of this visible world, we fly
To sing God’s praises in the lofty sky;
We scale the height to praise our Lord most High.

Eagle and Dove.

I the sun-gazing Eagle,–
I the Dove,
With plumes of softness and a note of love,–
We praise by divers gifts One God above.

Beasts and Cattle.

We forest Beasts,–
We Beasts of hill or cave,–
We border-loving Creatures of the wave,–
We praise our King with voices deep and grave.