Today’s video brings another popular hymn of thanksgiving, “For The Beauty Of The Earth.” It was written by Folliott Sandford Pierpoint in the spring of 1863 as he sat atop a hill outside his home town. Admiring the country view, and was inspired to reflect on God’s gifts through creation. Originally intended for use during communion, later editions of the text were changed, to emphasize the thanksgiving aspect of the verses.
Pierpoint was born in Bath, Somerset, England in 1835. Educated at Queen’s College, Cambridge, England, he periodically taught classics at Somersetshire College. He spent some time in personal study and writing, collecting three volumes of poetry in 1878. Folliott also wrote a number of hymns. However, the only one still sung today is the one featured in today’s video.
The music was composed by Conrad Kocher and is abridged from a choral he wrote entitled “Treuer Heiland, wir sind hir.” The choral comes from his work entitled Stimmen aus den Reiche Gottes and published in 1838. Kocher was born in Ditzingen, Wurttemberg, Germany, in 1786. At the age of seventeen he moved to St. Petersburg, Russia, to work as a tutor. However, his love for the music of Hayden and Mozart guided him into a musical career. Moving back to Germany in 1811, he settled in Stuttgart and spent most of the remainder of his life there, publishing compositions, popularizing four-part singing in the churches, playing organ and directing choirs, and publishing books.
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.
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 Thy Church that evermore
Lifteth holy hands above,
Offering up on every shore
Her pure sacrifice of love:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.
For Thyself, best gift divine,
To our race 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.
Thank you for listening!
21 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
Psalms 107:21-22
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
22 Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And declare His works with rejoicing.
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Ephesians 5:19-20
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