The spacious firmament on high
General information
Lyricist: Joseph Addison, adapted from Psalm 19.
Settings by composers
- Joseph Haydn Unison
- John Scheeles SATB
- Jason Smart Unison
- Henry Walford Davies SATB
Other settings possibly not included in the manual list above
- William Moore — Jackson
- Andrew Sims — Addison's
Texts and Translations
English text
The spacious firmament on high,
With all the blue ethereal sky,
And spangled heav'ns, a shining frame
Their great Original proclaim.
Th'unwearied sun from day to day,
Does his Creator’s powers display,
And publishes to every land
The work of an almighty hand.
Soon as the evening shades prevail
The moon takes up the wondrous tale,
And nightly to the list'ning earth
Repeats the story of her birth;
While all the stars that round her burn
And all the planets in their turn,
Confirm the tidings as they roll,
And spread the truth from pole to pole.
What though in solemn silence all
Move round this dark terrestrial ball?
What though no real voice nor sound
Amidst their radiant orbs be found?
In reason’s ear they all rejoice,
And utter forth a glorious voice,
Forever singing, as they shine,
'The hand that made us is divine.'