1 Thou wast, O God, and Thou wast blest
Before the world begun;
Of Thine Eternity possest
Before Time's glass did run.
Thou needesst none Thy praise to sing,
As if Thy joy could fade:
Couldst Thou have needed anything,
Thou couldst have nothing made.

2 Great and good God, it pleaséd Thee
Thy Godhead to declare;
And what Thy goodness did decree,
Thy greatness did prepare:
Thou spak'st, and heaven and earth appeared,
And answered to Thy call;
As if their Maker's voice they heard,
Which is the creature's all.

3 To whom, Lord should I sing, but Thee,
The Maker of my tongue?
Lo! other lords would seize on me,
But I to Thee belong.
As waters haste unto their sea,
And earth unto its earth,
So let my soul return to Thee,
From whom it had its birth.

4 But ah! I'm fallen on the night,
And cannot come to Thee:
Yet speak the word, "Let there be Light!"
It shall enlighten me.
And let Thy Word, most mighty Lord,
Thy fallen creature raise;
O make me o'er again, and I
Shall sing my Maker's praise.