SDA Hymnal 96
The Spacious Firmament
Words: Joseph AddisonMusic: Franz Joseph HaydnTune: CreationL.M.D.
1The spacious firmament on high,
With all the blue ethereal sky,
And spangled heavens, a shining frame,
Their great Original proclaim.
Th'unwearied sun from day to day
Does his Creator's power display,
And publishes to every land
The work of an almighty hand.
2Soon as the evening shades prevail,
The moon takes up the wondrous tale,
And nightly to the listening earth
Repeats the story of her birth;
Whilst all the stars that round her burn,
And all the planets in their turn,
Confirm the tidings as they roll,
And spread the truth from pole to pole.
3What though in solemn silence all
Move round the dark terrestrial ball?
What though no real voice nor sound
Amid their radiant orbs be found?
In reason's ear they all rejoice,
And utter forth a glorious voice,
Forever singing as they shine,
'The hand that made us is divine.'
- Words
- Joseph Addison
- Music
- Franz Joseph Haydn
- Tune
- Creation
- Meter
- L.M.D.
- Scripture
- Psalm 19:1
The verse
- Meter
- 8.9.8.8.8.8.8.8 · the hymnal prints L.M.D.
- Foot
- iambic (da-DUM) · 77% of beats fit
- Rhyme
- AABBCCDD
Could also be sung to Sweet Hour · same meter and stresses; not printed with these words, so try it first.
Scan every line
/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary · * a word sung short, as “heav’n”
Verse 1
Verse 2
Verse 3
Counted by machine from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. It cannot hear emphasis or a poet’s licence, so treat it as a place to start reading, not the last word.