Sunday Hymn

For The Beauty of the Earth!
Folliot Sanford Pierpoint (1835-1917)

Folliot Pierpoint was born in Bath, England, was a graduate of Queens College, Cambridge University, and is most remembered for the hymn For the Beauty of the Earth, first published as The Sacrifice of Praise in 1861. At twenty nine years of age, he returned to the city of his birth in late spring and was inspired by the beauty of the countryside to write the words to his beautiful hymn. Each stanza ends with the words, Christ our God, to thee we raise this our sacrifice of praise.

For The Beauty of the Earth!

For the beauty of the earth,
For the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.

For the beauty of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon and stars of light,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth, and friends above,
Pleasures pure and undefiled,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.

For each perfect gift of thine,
To our race so freely given,
Graces human and divine,
Flowers of earth and buds of heaven,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.

For thy church which evermore
Lifteth holy hands above,
Offering up on every shore
Her pure sacrifice of love,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.

Blessings,

Sherry