Folliott Pierpont was born in the city of Bath, England on October 7, 1835. It’s a popular holiday destination dye to the Avon River running through the rolling hills allowing warm springs to come from the ground. He left his home to study at Cambridge University, and wrote this poem on returning home at age 29, whilst walking the rolling hills. It was used for communion services in his Anglican church, which is why each stanza ends with “Christ, our God to Thee we raise this our sacrifice of praise”, which later evolved to “Lord of all, to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise”¹.

For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies.

Refrain
Christ, our God to Thee we raise,
This our sacrifice of praise.

For the wonder of each hour,
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon, and stars of light.

Refrain

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild.

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For the church, that evermore
Lifteth holy hands above,
Offering up on every shore
Her pure sacrifice of love.

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For Thyself, best Gift Divine.
To our race so freely given,
For that great, great love of Thine,
Peace on earth and joy in Heaven.

Refrain

¹ page 212 – Leeman, D. and Leeman, B., 2022. Our Hymns, Our Heritage: A Student Guide to Songs of the Church