Thy Spirit, O Lord, makes life abound
Author: The Psalter
Your Spirit, O Lord, makes life to abound.
The earth is renewed, and fruitful the ground.
To God be all glory and wisdom and might.
May God in his creatures forever delight.
My soul, praise the Lord! The Lord is most great,
with glory arrayed, majestic in state.
The light is his garment, the skies form a tent,
and over the waters his couriers are sent.
He rides on the clouds and wings of the storm.
The lightning and wind his mission perform.
Foundations of earth he forever has stayed;
to cover it, oceans like garments were laid.
On mountains and plains the dark waters lay.
They heard his rebuke and hurried away.
He lifted the mountains, to valleys gave birth,
set boundaries for seas that once covered the earth. [Repeat stanza 1]
God causes the springs of water to flow
in streams from the hills to valleys below.
The Lord gives the streams for all living things there,
while birds with their singing enrapture the air.
Down mountains and hills your showers are sent.
With fruit of your work the earth is content.
You give grass for cattle and food for our toil,
enriching our labors with bread, wine, and oil.
The trees that the Lord has planted are fed,
and over the earth their branches are spread.
They keep in their shelter the birds of the air.
The life of each creature God keeps in his care. [Repeat stanza 1]
The seasons are fixed by wisdom divine.
The slow-changing moon shows forth God's design.
The sun in its circuit its Maker obeys
and, running its journey, hastes not nor delays.
The Lord makes the night, when, leaving their lair,
the lions go forth, God's bounty to share.
The Lord makes the morning, when beasts steal away,
when we are beginning the work of the day.
How many and wise the works of the Lord!
The earth with its wealth of creatures is stored.
The sea bears in safety the ships to and fro;
Leviathan plays in the waters below.
Your creatures all look to you for their food.
Your hand opens wide, they gather the good.
When you hide your face, LORD, in anguish they yearn;
when you stop their breathing, to dust they return. Repeat stanza 1
Before the Lord's might earth trembles and quakes.
The mountains are rent, and smoke from them breaks.
I promise to worship the Lord all my days.
Yes, while I have being, my God I will praise.
Rejoicing in God, my thought shall be sweet.
May sinners depart in ruin complete.
My soul, praise the Lord God his name be adored.
Come, praise him, all people, and worship the Lord.
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