Lo, heaven and earth, and sea and air

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Lo, heaven and earth, and sea and air

Author: Joachim Neander (1679); Translator: Catherine Winkworth (1863)
Tune: BROCKHAM
Published in 3 hymnals

Representative Text

Lo, heaven and earth, and sea and air,
Their Maker's glory all declare;
And thou, my soul, awake and sing,
To Him Thy praises also bring.

Through Him the glorious Source of Day
Drives all the clouds of night away;
The pomp of stars, the moon's soft light,
Praise Him through all the silent night.

Behold, how He hath everywhere
Made earth so wondrous rich and fair;
The forest dark, the fruitful land,
All living things do show His hand.

Behold, how through the boundless sky
The happy birds all swiftly fly!
And fire and wind and storm are still
The ready servants of His will.

Behold the waters' ceaseless flow,
For ever circling to and fro;
The mighty sea, the bubbling well,
Alike their Maker's glory tell.

My God, how wondrously dost Thou
Unfold Thyself to us e'en now!
O grave it deeply on my heart
What I am, Lord, and what Thou art!

Source: Chorale Book for England, The #3

All representative texts • Compare texts ^ top

Author: Joachim Neander

Neander, Joachim, was born at Bremen, in 1650, as the eldest child of the marriage of Johann Joachim Neander and Catharina Knipping, which took place on Sept. 18, 1649, the father being then master of the Third Form in the Paedagogium at Bremen. The family name was originally Neumann (Newman) or Niemann, but the grandfather of the poet had assumed the Greek form of the name, i.e. Neander. After passing through the Paedagogium he entered himself as a student at the Gymnasium illustre (Academic Gymnasium) of Bremen in Oct. 1666. German student life in the 17th century was anything but refined, and Neander seems to have been as riotous and as fond of questionable pleasures as most of his fellows. In July 1670, Theodore Under-Eyck came to Breme… Go to person page >

Translator: Catherine Winkworth

Catherine Winkworth (b. Holborn, London, England, 1827; d. Monnetier, Savoy, France, 1878) is well known for her English translations of German hymns; her translations were polished and yet remained close to the original. Educated initially by her mother, she lived with relatives in Dresden, Germany, in 1845, where she acquired her knowledge of German and interest in German hymnody. After residing near Manchester until 1862, she moved to Clifton, near Bristol. A pioneer in promoting women's rights, Winkworth put much of her energy into the encouragement of higher education for women. She translated a large number of German hymn texts from hymnals owned by a friend, Baron Bunsen. Though often altered, these translations continue to be used i… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	Lo, heaven and earth, and sea and air
German Title:	Himmel, Erde, Luft und Meer
Author:	Joachim Neander (1679)
Translator:	Catherine Winkworth (1863)
Meter:	8.8.8.8
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain