Song: For the Beauty of the Earth

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The song "For the beauty of the earth" is a popular hymn in many churches.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh … [kjv]

Englishman Folliott Pierpoint (1835-1917) was so impressed with the beauty of the Bath countryside, with the Avon river in the distance, that he wrote the words to this hymn "For the beauty of the earth" in 1864.

When singing the hymn, think of walking through a majestic countryside filled with the beauty of God's creation.

Pierpoint intended the hymn as a Eucharistic hymn for the Communion service. This is a popular hymn for Thanksgiving.

This is hymn #1 in the hymnal.

For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies.

Lord of all, to thee we raise.
this, our hymn of grateful praise.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

All

KJV: He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

Hebrew: את הכל עשה יפה בעתו גם את העלם נתן בלבם מבלי אשר לא ימצא האדם את המעשה אשר עשה האלהים מראש ועד סוף׃

Greek: συν τα παντα εποιησεν καλα εν καιρω αυτου και γε συν τον αιωνα εδωκεν εν καρδια αυτων οπως μη ευρη ο ανθρωπος το ποιημα ο εποιησεν ο θεος απ αρχης και μεχρι τελους

Latin: cuncta fecit bona in tempore suo et mundum tradidit disputationi eorum ut non inveniat homo opus quod operatus est Deus ab initio usque ad finem

A lay minister in the Anglican church, Folliott Pierpoint intended the hymn as a Eucharistic hymn for the Communion service.

Eucharist

ευχαριστώ

thank you

good grace/favor

The hymn spread across the Atlantic and it soon became a traditional hymn of Thanksgiving.

The original 8 verses are often shortened to 4 or 5.

The original refrain started:

Christ, our Lord

It is often changed to:

Lord of all

The traditional melody, from 1838, is by Conrad Kochner (1786-1872), a German musical artist.

The name of the tune is "Dix". The melody works well for singing between groups, one group singing one part and the other group responding.

For the wonder 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 hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth, and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild,

Lord of all, to thee we raise.
this, our hymn of grateful praise.

For yourself, best gift divine,
to the world so freely given,

For that great, great love of Thine
Peace on earth and joy in heaven.

Lord of all, to thee we raise.
this, our hymn of grateful praise.