Sovereign, everlasting Lord

Sovereign, everlasting Lord,
How excellent Thy name!
Held in being by Thy word,
Thee all Thy works proclaim:
Through this earth Thy glories shine.
Through those dazzling worlds above.
All confess the Source Divine,
The' almighty God of love!

Thou, the God of power and grace,
Whom highest heavens adore,
Callest babes to sing Thy praise,
And manifest Thy power.
Lo! they in Thy strength go on,
Lo! on all their foes they tread,
Cast the dire Accuser down.
And bruise the Serpent's head.
Yet, when I survey the skies
And i lanets as they roll,
Wonder dims my aching eyes,
And swallows up my soul;
Moon and stars so wide display,
Chant their Maker's praise aloud,
Pour a flood of milder day,
And draw me up to God!
What is man, that Thou, O Lord,
Hast such respect to him?
Comes from heaven the' incarnate Word,
His creature to redeem:
Wherefore wouldst Thou stoop so low?
Who the mystery shall explain?
God is flesh, and lives below.
And dies for wretched man.
Jesus his Redeemer dies,
The sinner to restore.
Falls that man again may rise,
And stand as heretofore;
Foremost of created things,
Head of all Thy works he stood,
Nearest the great King of kings,
And little less than God!
Him with glorious majesty
Thy grace vouchsafed to crown;
Transcript of the One-in-Three,
He in Thine image shone:
All Thy works for him were made,
All did to his sway submit;
Fishes, birds, and beasts obey'd,
And bow'd beneath his feet.
Sovereign, everlasting Lord,
How excellent Thy name!
Held in being by Thy word.
Thee all Thy works proclaim:
Through this earth Thy glories shine,
Through those dazzling worlds above,
All confess the Source Divine,
The' almighty God of love!