All Creatures of Our God and King

I listened to this hymn the other day on Fernando Ortega's Hymns of Worship. It is a call to "all creatures of our God and King" to worship God in just the way that He created them to do it. What struck me is that in the verse directed toward men, the way that the author of this hymn (Francis of Assissi?) calls men to praise God: it is by forgiving others and by trusting God. Just as the rest of creation reflects God's glory in particular ways, we who have been created in the image of God are privileged to reflect His grace and glory in the way that He forgives us of our trespasses. Of course, our own acts of forgiveness don't cost us nearly as much as His did; but it is still a high calling and a great perspective to view being a peacemaker as an act of worship.

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!

Thou rushing wind that art so strong
Ye clouds that sail in Heaven along,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou rising moon, in praise rejoice,
Ye lights of evening, find a voice!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

And all ye men of tender heart,
Forgiving others, take your part,
O sing ye! Alleluia!
Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,
Praise God and on Him cast your care!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise him above ye heavenly host,
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia!

There seem to be lots of different versions of this hymn out there, but none of the verses in Ortega's version rubbed me the wrong way, so those are the lyrics I've chosen to post!