Praise the Lord O Heavens Adore Him
Praise the Lord, O heavens adore him
The hymn embodies Lutheran appreciation for creation as testimony to God's glory and power, inviting all creatures to join in cosmic praise. It reflects the Lutheran emphasis on God's universal sovereignty and the proper response of creation in adoration.
History & Background
This hymn was published in the Foundling Hospital Collection (London, 1796), a collection of hymns for children and youth. The authorship is attributed to the Foundling Hospital Collection itself, reflecting its communal creation.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 548
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 540
- Lutheran Worship — 351
Bulletin Note
From the Foundling Hospital Collection (1796), this hymn was first sung by London's orphaned and abandoned children, teaching them their dignity as part of creation's vast praise to God.
Preaching Connection
This hymn's proclamation of God's universal sovereignty and the proper grateful response of all creation amplifies the Gospel's call to repentance and faith, moving us from recognition of God's power to willing adoration and service.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Christological anticipation (St. 1-2) → Incarnational paradox (St. 3) → Pneumatological reign (St. 4)
Themes
Praise of God Creation Divine majesty Angels and heavenly hosts Christian worship