Lord of Earth, Thy Forming Hand

Lord of earth! Thy form­ing hand

Well this beau­te­ous frame hath planned—

Woods that wave

and hills that tow­er—

Ocean roll­ing in his pow­er;

All that strikes the gaze un­sought—

All that charms the lone­ly thought—

Friendship—gem tran­scend­ing price—

Love—a flow­er from para­dise—

Yet amidst this scene so fair

Should I cease Thy smile to share

What were all its joys to me?

Whom have I on earth but Thee?

Lord of Heav’n

be­yond our sight

Rolls a world of pur­er light;

There in love’s un­cloud­ed reign

Severed friends shall meet again:

Martyrs there

and pro­phets high

Blaze a glo­ri­ous com­pa­ny;

While im­mor­tal mu­sic rings

From un­num­bered ser­aph strings—

O! that world is pass­ing fair;

Yet

if Thou wert ab­sent there

What were all its joys to me?

Whom have I in Heav’n but Thee?

Lord of earth and Heav’n! my breast

Seeks in Thee its on­ly rest;

I was lost; Thy ac­cents mild

Homeward lured Thy wan­der­ing child:

I was blind! Thy healing ray

Charmed the long eclipse away;

Source of ev­ery joy I know

Solace of my ev­ery woe;

O if once Thy smile di­vine

Ceased up­on my soul to shine

What were earth or Heav’n to me?

Whom have I in each but Thee?