Praise the Lord! You Heavens Adore Him

Praise the Lord! You Heavens Adore Him

Text: Stanzas 1 & 2, anonymous, ca. 1801; Stanza 3 written in 1836 by Edward Osler (1798-1863)

Sung to AN DIE FREUDE, anonymous setting of Schiller's Hymn to Joy, Berlin, 1799

Psalm 148:1-13 Praise God from heaven, praise him from the mountaintops;

Praise him, all you his angels, praise him, all you his warriors,

Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, you morning stars;

Praise him, high heaven, praise him, heavenly rain clouds;

Praise, oh let them praise the name of God—he spoke the word, and there they were!

He set them in place from all time to eternity;

He gave his orders, and that’s it!

Praise God from earth, you sea dragons, you fathomless ocean deeps;

Fire and hail, snow and ice, hurricanes obeying his orders;

Mountains and all hills, apple orchards and cedar forests;

Wild beasts and herds of cattle, snakes, and birds in flight;

Earth’s kings and all races, leaders and important people,

Robust men and women in their prime, and yes, graybeards and little children.

Let them praise the name of God—it’s the only Name worth praising.

V. 1 Praise the Lord! you heavens, adore Him;

Praise Him, angels in the height;

Sun and moon, rejoice before Him,

Praise Him, all you stars of light.

Praise the Lord, for He has spoken;

Worlds His mighty voice obeyed;

Laws which never shall be broken

For their guidance He has made.

V. 2 Praise the Lord! for He is glorious;

Never shall His promise fail.

God has made His saints victorious;

Sin and death shall not prevail.

Praise the God of our salvation!

Hosts on high, His power proclaim;

Heaven and earth and all creation,

Laud and magnify His name.

V. 3 Worship, honor, glory, blessing, 

Lord, we offer as our gift.

Young and old, Your praise expressing,

Our glad songs to You we lift.

All the saints in heaven adore You,

We would join their glad acclaim;

As Your angels serve before You,

So on earth we praise Your name.