All Creatures of Our God And King

From the grateful heart of a devoted Italian monk in the year of 1225 came this beautiful message.        As a great lover of nature, Saint Francis of Assisi saw the hand of God in all creation.  He demonstrated through his own life all the tender, humble, forgiving spirit and absolute trust in God that his hymn urges others to have. At the age of 25, St. Francis left an indulgent fife as a soldier, renounced his inherited wealth, and determined to live meagerly and to imitate the selfless life of Christ.        Throughout his life Saint Francis appreciated the importance of church music and encouraged singing in his monastery. He wrote more than 60 hymns for this purpose. The beautiful expressions of praise in All Creatures of Our God and King have endured throughout the centuries. +++++++++ All creatures of our God and King   (1) All creatures of our God and King, Lift up your voice and with us sing, Alleluia! Alleluia!  Thou burning sun with golden beam, Thou silver moon with softer gleam, O praise Him! O praise Him! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!   (2) Thou rushing wind that art so strong, Ye clouds that sail in heaven along, O praise Him! Alleluia! Thou rising morn, in praise rejoice, Ye lights of evening, find a voice! O praise Him! O praise Him! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!   (3) Thou flowing water, pure and clear, Make music for thy Lord to hear, Alleluia! Alleluia! Thou fire so masterful and bright, That givest man both warmth and light, O praise Him! O praise Him! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!   (4) Let all things their Creator bless, And worship Him in humbleness, O praise Him! Alleluia! Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son, And praise the Spirit, Three in One! O praise Him! O praise Him! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!