1 Long before the reign of kings,
when the sun first lit the shore,
earth was filled with living things
God was pleased with what he saw.
Jungle beasts which Adam named,
creatures of the sea and air,
animals his children tamed
found God's blessing and his care.

2 God delighted to create
and supply with home and food
mites and monsters, small and great,
safely carried through the flood.
Forest dwellers, prairie herds,
all with fur or scale or wing,
tell his glory without words
and their Maker's splendour sing.

3 For they all fulfil his plan
and shall know his perfect reign
free from cruelty of man,
free from spur and whip and chain,
when gazelles lie down to sleep
next to hunters of the wild
wolf and lamb and bear and sheep
tended by a little child.

4 God who sees the sparrow fall,
King of earth and sea and sky;
Holy Spirit, Lord of all,
without you we fade and die;
Christ our Sacrifice who came
as a lamb to shed your blood:
all that lives shall praise your name,
Maker, Saviour, living God!

Christopher Idle
© Christopher Idle/Jubilate Hymns Ltd
7 7. 7 7. D

CCL# 3808861