A Song of Creation

From the Book of Common Prayer, Morning Prayer Rite I

Benedicte, omnia opera Domini

Invocation
O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord;
praise him and magnify him forever.
O ye angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord;
praise him and magnify him forever.


The Cosmic Order
O ye heavens, bless ye the Lord,
O ye waters that be above the firmament, bless ye the Lord;
O all ye powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord;
praise him and magnify him forever.



O ye sun and moon, bless ye the Lord;
O ye stars of heaven, bless ye the Lord;
O ye showers and dew, bless ye the Lord;
praise him and magnify him forever.



O ye dews and frosts, bless ye the Lord;
O ye frost and cold, bless ye the Lord;
O ye ice and snow, bless ye the Lord;
praise him and magnify him forever.



O ye nights and days, bless ye the Lord;
O ye light and darkness, bless ye the Lord;
O ye lightnings and clouds, bless ye the Lord;
praise him and magnify him forever.





The Earth and its Creatures
O let the earth bless the Lord;
O ye mountains and hills, bless ye the Lord;
O all ye green things upon the earth, bless ye the Lord;
praise him and magnify him for ever.



O ye wells, bless ye the Lord;
O ye seas and floods, bless ye the Lord;
O ye whales and all that move in the waters, bless ye the Lord;
praise him and magnify him forever.



O ye fowls of the air, bless ye the Lord;
O all ye beasts and cattle, bless ye the Lord;
O ye children of men, bless ye the Lord;
praise him and magnify him forever.




The People of God
O ye people of god, bless ye the Lord;
O ye priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord;
O ye servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord;
praise him and magnify him forever.



O ye spirits and souls of the righteous, bless ye the Lord;
O ye holy and humble men of heart, bless ye the Lord;
Let us bless the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;
praise him and magnify him for ever.

(from the top: the kids' first rainbow; on the way to Clarissa Falls in Belize; the snowman of winter 2009; Eva asleep at 10 months old; Humpback Rock on the Blue Ridge; the James River; Silas with some giraffes at the Richmond Zoo; St. Andrew's Anglican Church, San Ignacio, Belize)