~SPRING HAS SPRUNG

While happily thinking about how today is the first day of spring, the hymn, "For the Beauty of the Earth," came to mind.  I was introduced to it in high school chorus when we sang the arrangement by John Rutter, which is my version of choice--so pretty.  The Christian music trio BarlowGirl sings the Dix arrangement on one of their CD's.  In addition, the Dix version is on the Little Women motion picture soundtrack.

As it turns out, Folliot Pierpoint took a walk in the English countryside one spring day, and the beauty he saw around him inspired him to pen the lyrics to this hymn.

For The Beauty Of The Earth

For the beauty of the earth,

For the beauty of the skies,

For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies,

Lord of all, to Thee we raise

This our grateful hymn of praise.

For the beauty of each hour

Of the day and of the night,

Hill and vale, and tree and flower,

Sun and moon and stars of light,

Lord of all, to Thee we raise

This our grateful hymn of praise.

For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and mind’s delight,
For the mystic harmony
Linking sense to sound and sight.
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.

For the joy of human love,

Brother, sister, parent, child,

Friends on earth, and friends above,

For all gentle thoughts and mild,

Lord of all, to Thee we raise

This our grateful hymn of praise.

For Thy Church, that evermore
Lifteth holy hands above,
Offering up on every shore
Her pure sacrifice of love.
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.

For the martyrs’ crown of light,
For Thy prophets’ eagle eye,
For Thy bold confessors’ might,
For the lips of infancy.
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.

For Thy virgins’ robes of snow,
For Thy maiden mother mild,
For Thyself, with hearts aglow,
Jesu, Victim undefiled.
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.

For each perfect gift of Thine,
To our race so freely given,
Graces human and divine,

Flowers of earth and buds of heaven,

Lord of all, to thee we raise

This our grateful hymn of praise.

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Here is a scenic video featuring the John Rutter arrangement, sung by a boys' choir:

And here is the Dix version, sung by BarlowGirl:

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