Church Hymn Book ‎#CCLXIV

CCLXIV. "Now let a spacious world arise"

1 "Now let a spacious world arise,"
Said the Creator Lord:
At once th'obedient earth and skies
Rose at his sov'reign word.

2 Dark was the deep; the waters lay
Confus'd and drown'd the land:
He call'd the light; the new-born day
Attends on his command.

3 He bids the clouds ascend on high;
The clouds ascend, and bear
A wat'ry treasure to the sky,
And float on softer air.

4 The liquid element below
Was gather'd by his hand:
The rolling seas together flow,
And leave the solid land.

5 With herbs and plants a flow'ry birth,
The naked globe he crown'd,
E're there was rain to bless the earth,
Or sun to warm the ground.

6 Then he adorn'd the upper skies;
Behold the sun appears;
The moon and stars in order rise,
To mark out months and years.

7 Out of the deep th'almighty King.
Did vital beings frame,
The painted fowls of ev'ry wing,
And fish of ev'ry name.

8 He gave the lion and the worm
At once their wond'rous birth,
And grazing beasts of various form
Rose from the teeming earth.

9 Adam was fram'd of equal clay,
Though sov'reign of the rest,
Design'd for nobler ends than they;
With God's own image blest.

10 Thus glorious in the Maker's eye
The young Creation stood;
He saw the building from on high,
His word pronounc'd it good.

11 Lord while the frame of nature stands,
Thy praise shall fill my tongue:
But the new world of grace demands
A more exalted song.

Text Information

• First Line: "Now let a spacious world arise"
• Author: Watts
• Meter: C. M.
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1816
• Topic: On the Creation

Tune Information

(No tune information)