All Creatures of Our God and King
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Job 12:7-12, Psalm 148:1-14, Matthew 6:26
BY Rebecca Faires
Text: Job 12:7-12, Psalm 148:1-14, Matthew 6:26
Of all the monastic saints, we see reminders of Saint Francis of Assisi the most. He is immortalized in backyards everywhere as a stone lawn statue, usually cradling a bird or comforting a fawn. And there is truth behind the sculptures; Francis was actually very well known for his care and attention to animals. In fact, his enthusiasm for preaching the gospel and his love for animals occasionally drove him to go so far as to preach sermons to flocks of birds.
In 1226, with his vision failing and his life nearing its end, he wrote a poem titled “The Canticle of the Sun.” In his weakened state, he celebrated the psalmic call for all creation to praise God as Creator (Psalm 19).
Saint Francis was always keen on unity with nature. In fact, in his original version of this hymn he referred to creation as family: brother sun, sister water, brother fire, mother earth, brother wind, and sister moon (Bailey 264). Although some English translations maintain those sentiments, when William Draper translated it from Latin to English in 1910 for a children’s festival, he paraphrased the original poem, leaving out references to any familial relationships with creation.
We can all join with creation to say, “Hallelujah!” and praise God for His creative goodness. We can sing with the psalmist in Psalm 148, praising God with the stars and the waters, the sea monsters, lightning, and clouds. Let us join together to praise and honor the Lord of heaven and earth.
All Creatures of Our God and King
William Draper
All creatures of our God and King,
lift up your voice and with us sing:,
alleluia, alleluia!
O burning sun with golden beam,
and shining moon with silver gleam,
O praise him, O praise him,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
O rushing wind so wild and strong,
white clouds that sail in heaven along,
alleluia, alleluia!
New rising dawn in praise rejoice;
you lights of evening find a voice:
O praise him, O praise him,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Cool flowing water, pure and clear,
make music for your Lord to hear:
alleluia, alleluia!
Fierce fire, so masterful and bright,
providing us with warmth and light.
O praise him, O praise him,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Earth ever fertile, day by day
bring forth your blessings on our way;
alleluia, alleluia!
All flowers and fruits that is you grow,
let the his glory also show;
O praise him, O praise him,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
All you who are of tender heart,
forgiving others, take your part;
alleluia, alleluia!
All you who pain and sorrow bear,
praise God and on him cast your care;
O praise him, O praise him,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Let all things their Creator bless,
and worship him in humbleness,
alleluia, alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
and praise the Spirit, Three in One:
O praise him, O praise him,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Bailey, Albert Edward. The Gospel in Hymns: Backgrounds and Interpretations. New York: Scribner, 1950.
83 thoughts on "All Creatures of Our God and King"
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I’ve never heard this hymn before but the words remind me of the praise attributed to “The 3 saintly youth” (Shadrach, Mishak and Abednego) sung in the fire in the Deutorocanonical books…(or Apocrypha, depending on your perspective).
I love the reminder that all of creation praises my Saviour!! -
@Krystle Scott – thank you so much for the encouragement. I just screenshot your post to remember it :) I needed that.
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@Mercy, thank you so much for sharing your walk. It’s exactly what I needed to hear ❤️
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Michelle, I read this in the Deuteronomy study today and thought of you: “We live in a generation of forgetfulness, that often scoffs at obedience, and makes light of faithfulness. It is for this reason that we also too often find ourselves in a generation of weakness and cowardice, adrift. If we would see our children and our spiritual communities prosper, we must know and remember the Word and the works of God.” Keep being faithful sister. God sees you. ❤️
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1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights! – Psalms 148:1. What a great reminder today. I often times forget to just praise the lord for the good things that have happened in my days. Even the simplest of things I often times get lost in my prayers instead of forgetting to just praise him for all he’s done. -
@LAURA: thank you for your suggestion. I searched for it on Amazon yesterday wondering if that might be the one, to see your confirmation that it’s the one :) God is good!
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Happy Tuesday she’s,
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. The animals in the forest, the fish in the ocean, birds in the sky…will teach us about the Lord. Wow. “Fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word!” (Psalm 148:8). Even weather condition yields. “He has raised up a horn for his people, resulting in praise to all his faithful ones” (Psalm 148:14). Father we thank you that you raise us up in victory (horn) so that we can praise You, for your faithfulness to your children, and to all creatures, which they don’t labor 9-5 but You feed them and care for them… how much more us. We thank you for your faithfulness and give you glory and praise!
@SEARCHING: ❤️
@DAWN PRENATT: praying that the Lord will reveal to you hidden things about your friendship. I also walked a season of some friendships strangely falling off, without realizing I had been praying earnestly for God to uproot anything that is not of Him from me. When the answer came and God’s Hand was stirring strong, I was a bit disoriented as to how certain friendships turned cold. It took some time for adjustment, now I changed my prayer from “Lord restore those friendships” to “Lord provide for me godly friendships, surround me with faithful & genuine people that love me”. Lifting prayers for you.
@RHONDA : amen to “we are so caught up in our pain”. What truth. The devil uses/causes pain to distract and numb us from God, to revert to self, to me me me. But God uses that same pain for deliverance and healing. May all our pain be the first hand witness of God’s mercy, limitless power to overturn any situation, of His enduring love and faithfulness!
@SHARON JERSEY GIRL: prayers for your strong recovery, and finance provision for Arian.
@MOLLY R: grace for co-op and busy schedule.
@KRISTINE LOUGHMAN: prayers for a great time in FL.
Be blessed dear sisters. Bless the Lord, o my soul. Bless the Lord. -
I love this hymn. I love the visual of St. Francis of Assisi holding a bird in his hand and comforting a fawn. I had patients in hospice who would tell me they didn’t worship God, but rather worshipped nature or the universe. I always found it so amazing that they could worship the created but not the Creator.
I have prayed for each of your requests by name and by circumstance as I came to them.
Good news: I was able to move my neurologist appointment from December 22 to October 27. Thank you for your prayers.
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