1 Great Former of this various frame!
Our souls adore thine awful name!
And bow and tremble, while they praise
The Ancient of eternal days.

2 Thou, Lord, with unsurprised survey,
Sawest nature rising yesterday;
And, as to-morrow, shall thine eye
See earth and stars in ruin lie.

3 Beyond an angel's vision bright,
Thou dwell'st in self-existent light,
Which shines with undiminished ray,
While suns and worlds in smoke decay.

4 Our days a transient period run,
And change with every circling sun;
And though in self or sect we trust,
A moth can crush us into dust.