“Nature with Open Volume Stands” LBW 119
1 Nature with open volume stands,
To spread its maker's praise abroad;
And ev'ry labor of his hands
Shows something worthy of our God.
2 But in the grace that rescued us
His brightest form of glory shines;
'Tis fairest drawn upon the cross
In precious blood and crimson lines.
3 Here his whole name appears complete.
Nor wit can guess, nor reason prove,
Which of the letters best is writ,
The pow'r, the wisdom, or the love.
4 We would forever speak his name
In sounds to mortal ears unknown,
With angels join to praise the Lamb,
And worship at his Father's throne.
Devotion
Isaac Watts wrote many hymns that continue to enrich Christian worship all over the globe. Some, such as “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” and “Joy to the World,” inhabit our imaginations with seasonal solidity. Others, like this one, are less well-known. In English language hymnody, long dominated by a preference for Biblical texts, Watts was one of the first to introduce new poetry that examined and articulated present Christian experience and reflection. This hymn dwells in the gap between the natural witness to the presence and power of a creator God, and the revelation of the crucified Jesus as God’s “brightest form of glory.” Nature can show us, with its infinite variety, beauty, and fullness, something of God. However, the creation will not yield the creator’s name. It cannot, finally, bear witness to the God whose love is personal.
Prayer
Gracious and saving God, your good creation offers us a glimpse of your generosity and your power. We thank you for our daily bread, for times of harvest and plenty. We praise you for all things living. But chiefly, we thank you for Jesus, in whom you have become God for us, and by whom you redeem the whole world. Amen.