For The Beauty Of The Earth

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 grateful hymn of praise.

These words were written by Folliott Sandford Pierpoint (1835-1917).

Folliot Sandford Pierpoint was born in 1835 in Bath, England. He graduated from Queen's College, Cambridge University in 1857 and thereafter spent many years at Somersetshire College as a classics master. After retiring he lived in various places in the West Country. He died in 1917 in Monmouthshire, England.

The story goes that Pierpoint was taking a walk one late Spring day, in the lovely area surrounding his home in Bath, England. Overwhelmed with the beauty he saw, he sat down and wrote "For the Beauty of the Earth." Not only does Pierpoint thank God for His beautiful creation, but also for family, friends and other gifts God has bestowed upon us.

This hymn was originally written to be a communion hymn in the Anglican Church. It was first published in Rev. Orvy Shipley’s Lyra Eucharistica, 1864. The last two lines of each verse, which constitute the chorus, have been changed and adapted several times over the years as has the length of the hymn since Pierpoints' version had eight verses. It remains his best known hymn as he appeared to be primarily a writer of poetry.

It is both lovely and inspiring to think that for nearly 150 years people have been singing these same words and giving thanks to the Lord for His beautiful Earth. We sang them ourselves in St. John's Cathedral this morning to the Melody 'St. Hughs'. I counted three different known tunes for this hymn last night!

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The remainder of the hymn is as follows:

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.