From the Album Getty Kids Hymnal – Hymns from Home
Lyrics
For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies:
Christ, our God, to Thee we raise
this, our sacrifice of praise.
For the beauty of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flow’r,
Sun and moon, and stars of light:
Christ, our God, to Thee we raise
this, our sacrifice of praise.
For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth, and friends above;
For all gentle thoughts and mild:
Christ, our God, to Thee we raise
this, our sacrifice of praise.
For each perfect Gift of Thine
To our race so freely given,
Graces human and Divine,
Flowers of earth, and buds of Heaven:
Christ, our God, to Thee we raise
This our Sacrifice of Praise.
Song Story
Folliott Sandford Pierpoint was born in 1835 and lived in Bath, England. He was a hymn-writer, poet and teacher. When he was 29 he wrote his most well known hymn ‘For the Beauty of the earth’. The melody used is called ‘Dix' written by Conrad Kocher. It was originally used for another lyric, a Christmas carol called ‘As with Gladness men of old’ (written by William Chatterton Dix). Very often one melody is used for many different hymn lyrics!
Mr Pierpoint wrote the lyrics (the words) while looking out on the beautiful countryside that surrounded his home. It was first published in a book of hymns and poems for Communion (Eucharist). This is why the refrain (the chorus) repeats ‘sacrifice of praise’ as it remembers Christ’s sacrifice for us on the cross.