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[1] The pride of the height, the clear firmament, the beauty of heaven, with his glorious shew;
[2] The sun when it appeareth, declaring at his rising a marvellous instrument, the work of the most High:
[3] At noon it parcheth the country, and who can abide the burning heat thereof?
[4] A man blowing a furnace is in works of heat, but the sun burneth the mountains three times more; breathing out fiery vapours, and sending forth bright beams, it dimmeth the eyes.
[5] Great is the Lord that made it; and at his commandment runneth hastily.
[6] He made the moon also to serve in her season for a declaration of times, and a sign of the world.
[7] From the moon is the sign of feasts, a light that decreaseth in her perfection.
[8] The month is called after her name, increasing wonderfully in her changing, being an instrument of the armies above, shining in the firmament of heaven;
[9] The beauty of heaven, the glory of the stars, an ornament giving light in the highest places of the Lord.
[10] At the commandment of the Holy One they will stand in their order, and never faint in their watches.
[11] Look upon the rainbow, and praise him that made it; very beautiful it is in the brightness thereof.
[12] It compasseth the heaven about with a glorious circle, and the hands of the most High have bended it.
[13] By his commandment he maketh the snow to fall aplace, and sendeth swiftly the lightnings of his judgment.
[14] Through this the treasures are opened: and clouds fly forth as fowls.
[15] By his great power he maketh the clouds firm, and the hailstones are broken small.
[16] At his sight the mountains are shaken, and at his will the south wind bloweth.
[17] The noise of the thunder maketh the earth to tremble: so doth the northern storm and the whirlwind: as birds flying he scattereth the snow, and the falling down thereof is as the lighting of grasshoppers:
[18] The eye marvelleth at the beauty of the whiteness thereof, and the heart is astonished at the raining of it.
[19] The hoarfrost also as salt he poureth on the earth, and being congealed, it lieth on the top of sharp stakes.
[20] When the cold north wind bloweth, and the water is congealed into ice, it abideth upon every gathering together of water, and clotheth the water as with a breastplate.
[21] It devoureth the mountains, and burneth the wilderness, and consumeth the grass as fire.
[22] A present remedy of all is a mist coming speedily, a dew coming after heat refresheth.
[23] By his counsel he appeaseth the deep, and planteth islands therein.
[24] They that sail on the sea tell of the danger thereof; and when we hear it with our ears, we marvel thereat.
[25] For therein be strange and wondrous works, variety of all kinds of beasts and whales created.
[26] By him the end of them hath prosperous success, and by his word all things consist.
[27] We may speak much, and yet come short: wherefore in sum, he is all.
[28] How shall we be able to magnify him? for he is great above all his works.
[29] The Lord is terrible and very great, and marvellous is his power.
[30] When ye glorify the Lord, exalt him as much as ye can; for even yet will he far exceed: and when ye exalt him, put forth all your strength, and be not weary; for ye can never go far enough.
[31] Who hath seen him, that he might tell us? and who can magnify him as he is?
[32] There are yet hid greater things than these be, for we have seen but a few of his works.
[33] For the Lord hath made all things; and to the godly hath he given wisdom.
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