A HERMIT of the forest wild,
Far from the busy throng,
His lonely moments thus beguiled,
And sung his vesper song:

" Eternal Lord of earth and sky!
Thou great unseen, unknown!
Who dwell'st in sovereign majesty,
Omnipotent alone; —

Thou art the source of every good,
My help in every care;
Thou quell'st the raging of the flood,
And tempest of the air.

The glittering stars their courses run,
By thy supreme decree;
The evening moon, and morning sun,
Receive their light from thee.

By thee the earth is crown'd with flow'rs,
And yellow fields of grain;
By thee the clouds send down their show'rs,
And verdure decks the plain.

To thee all creatures owe their birth,
That swim, or fly, or creep; —
The fowl of air, the beast of earth,
And monster of the deep.

And man is thine: his wondrous frame
Was fashioned by thy hand;
The vital spark, from thee that came,
Departs at thy command.

Oh! be my guardian and guide,
My father and my friend,
Till whelm'd in death's resistless tide,
My pilgrimage shall end! "