Hymn & History
Genesis 1:31

”For the Beauty of the Earth”

By Folliott Sandford Pierpoint, 1864

 

Music, Photos & Video Created by Jackie Mattingly/Mike Wong

Posted on Youtube by Elizabeth Thia 2006

Purpose of

Hymnal Journaling

Many of the great hymns of the church express the purpose of the CBJ mission – have a walk that is ”Nearer My God To Thee”.

Reflect on the weekly hymn as you color/doodle and sing along. Use a hymnal of your own, order one at the bottom of this page, or print out sheet music from the internet. 

Directions for
Hymnal Journaling

1. Watch Video

2. Read History

3. Color/Doodle Hymn

4. Share photo in comments OR

5. Share photo in Facebook Group

Member Submitted Pages for This Hymn

Creative-Bible-Journaling.com has collected the following information and lyrics from various websites, for the sole purpose of sharing with you, for educational purposes only. No money is exchanged for this information. 

Hymn Lyrics

THE LYRICS  “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:
Christ, our God, to Thee we raise
This our Sacrifice 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:
Christ, our God, to Thee we raise
This our Sacrifice of Praise.

For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and brain’s delight,
For the mystic harmony
Linking sense to sound and sight:
Christ, our God, to Thee we raise
This our Sacrifice of Praise.

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth, and friends above;
For all gentle thoughts and mild:
Christ, our God, to Thee we raise
This our Sacrifice 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:
Christ, our God, to Thee we raise
This our Sacrifice of Praise.

For Thy Bride that evermore
Lifteth holy hands above,
Offering up on every shore
This Pure Sacrifice of Love:
Christ, our God, to Thee we raise
This our Sacrifice of Praise.

For Thy Martyrs’ crown of light,
For Thy Prophets’ eagle eye,
For Thy bold Confessors’ might,
For the lips of Infancy:
Christ, our God, to Thee we raise
This our Sacrifice of Praise.

For Thy Virgins’ robes of snow,
For Thy Maiden Mother mild,
For Thyself, with hearts aglow,
Jesus, Victim undefiled,
Offer we at Thine own Shrine
Thyself, sweet Sacrament Divine.

Hymns & History

The Author of the Hymn

THE AUTHOR ~  FOLLIOTT SANDFORD PIERPOINT

Born October 7, 1835 in Bath, England
Died 10 March 1917 (age 82) in Bath, England

Mr. Pierpoint was a hymnodist and poet. He was educated at Queens’ College, Cambridge. Mr. Pierpoint was a classics schoolmaster and a devout Tractarian. He taught at Somersetshire College, spending most of his life in Bath and the south-west.

History of Hymn

HISTORY ~ “FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH”

For the Beauty of the Earth is Folliott Sandford Pierpoint’s most famous hymn, which he wrote 
in 1864, at the age of 29. 

He was mesmerized by the beauty of the countryside that surrounded him. The town of Bath on the banks of the Avon River has been considered one of the most beautiful spots in the British Isles. After returning from Cambridge, the beauty of the countryside in late spring, caused his heart to well up with emotion and inspired this hymn. Each stanza thanks God for a different kind of beauty.

He originally wrote this hymn for use during the Communion of the High Anglican Church. The original refrain “Christ, our God, to thee we raise; This our sacrifice of praise” (alluding to Hebrews 13:15) was meant to mirror the portrayal of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice – just as the host would be lifted during the communion as a token of God’s gift to us, a “sacrifice of praise” would be lifted in return.

Later editions of the text emphasize the thanksgiving aspect of the verses.

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