God created earth and heaven
To begin all history.
Angels shouted out with joy when
He laid out the world to be
Dark and shapeless came the earth,
Wet and moving toward its birth.
God’s own Spirit softly hovered
Over waters as they quivered.
Piercing through the silent blackness,
God exclaimed, Let there be light!
He divided light from darkness,
Called light Day and darkness Night.
God saw that the light was good;
Solely on His Word it stood.
Evening shadows in rotation
Gave to morning day’s duration.
On the next day of creation
Waters swelled in full supply.
God said, Let there be expansion
Separating low from high.
Call it Heaven on display;
It was so the second day.
Evening shadows in rotation
Gave to morning day’s duration.
On the third day of creation
God said, Let the waters flow
Into Seas and call the region
Earth appearing from below.
Grass and herbs and fruit trees grew;
God declared their mass debut.
Evening shadows in rotation
Gave to morning day’s duration.
On the fourth day of creation
God said, Let there be two lights,
One to rule each day in motion,
One less bright to rule the nights.
God created stars besides,
And the planets to be guides.
Evening shadows in rotation
Gave to morning day’s duration.
On the fifth day of creation
God said, Waters bring forth life,
Birds and fish and great cetaceans,
All their kinds and free of strife.
God declared their blessed state
To abound and procreate.
Evening shadows in rotation
Gave to morning day’s duration.
On the sixth day of creation
God said, Bring forth from the Earth
Cattle, creeping things in action,
Beasts, and all their kinds to birth.
Lastly God said, Let us make
In our image man awake.
Let them have dominion regal
Over all from ant to eagle.
God created the first couple,
Told them multiply and fill
All the Earth, subdue and sample
Herbs and fruit on field and hill.
Creeping thing and bird and beast:
All were given herbs to feast.
Evening shadows in rotation
Gave to morning day’s duration.
Earth and Heaven were completed;
God ceased work and took a rest.
So the seventh day was hallowed;
The Creator called it blest.
Every facet God surveyed:
Very good was all He made.
Evening shadows in rotation
Gave to morning day’s duration.
God gave man and woman freedom
But with one condition made.
They took outlawed fruit and ate some,
Hid themselves, and were afraid.
God provided clothes of skin
For their labor under sin.
Shadows grew in each direction
Through the night of lost reflection.
On the day of new creation
God’s own Son arose from death.
He fulfilled mankind’s devotion,
Sacrificed with His last breath.
Trust in Him for life renewed
By His blood and body food.
Day eternal brings salvation,
Light seen now by revelation!
87.87.77.88
Suggested tune: Der Am Kreuz
Alternate: adapt 87.87.D (e.g., O du liebe)
(c) 2007-2008