In this our beauteous island

Representative Text

1 In this our beauteous island*
God smiles his sweetest smile;
from ferny dell and covert
wild flowers our eyes beguile;
among the leafy branches
the ripened mangoes sway,
and green pimento berries
make fragrant God's bright day.

Refrain:
Praise him, ye bright people,
with harvest hymn of joy;
O give to God a hymn of praise,
and love without alloy.

2 The creamy breadfruit blossoms
point upward to the sky,
to tell that God's rich blessings
fall on us from on high.
The canefields wave in greeting,
clad in their verdant dress;
and citrus fruits swing slowly
in golden loveliness. [Refrain]

3 We thank thee for the sunlight
on each day newly born,
that blends with rain in blessing
the tender ears of corn:
that ripens into beauty
fair fruits of every kind –
bananas, pears, star-apples,
and cherries purple-lined. [Refrain]

4 Young coconuts encircle
the warm hearts of the trees,
beneath the green boughs hiding,
and rustle in the breeze.
Nature her many voices,
each day with joy uplifts!
Shall we not thank our Father
for all his wondrous gifts. [Refrain]

*Alternative first line:
In this our bounteous country

Source: CPWI Hymnal #714

Author: Eva Nicholas

(no biographical information available about Eva Nicholas.) Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: In this our beauteous island
Author: Eva Nicholas
Meter: 7.6.7.6 D with refrain
Language: English
Refrain First Line: Praise him, ye bright people
Copyright: Public Domain

Tune

WIR PFLÜGEN

WIR PFLÜGEN (named after the incipit of Schulz’s original third stanza) was published anonymously in the Hanover collection Lieder für Volksschulen (1800). But it was credited to Johann A. P. Schulz in Lindner’s Berlin songbook Jungenfreund (1812). The harmonization by John B. Dykes (PHH 147)…

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CPWI Hymnal #714

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