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.