The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

The firmament on high is his beauty, the beauty of heaven with its glorious shew.

The sun when he appeareth shewing forth at his rising, an admirable instrument, the work of the most High.

At noon he burneth the earth, and who can abide his burning heat? As one keeping a furnace in the works of heat:

The sun three times as much, burneth the mountains, breathing out fiery vapours, and shining with his beams, he blindeth the eyes.

Great is the Lord that made him, and at his words he hath hastened his course.

And the moon in all in her season, is for a declaration of times and a sign of the world.

From the moon is the sign of the festival day, a light that decreaseth in her perfection.

The month is called after her name, increasing wonderfully in her perfection.

Being an instrument of the armies on high, shining gloriously in the firmament of heaven.

The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven; the Lord enlighteneth the world on high.

By the words of the holy one they stand in judgment, and shall never fall in their watches.

Look upon the rainbow, and bless him that made it: it is very beautiful in its brightness.

It encompasseth the heaven about with the circle of its glory, the hands of the most High have displayed it.

By his commandment he maketh the snow to fall apace, and sendeth forth swiftly the lightnings of his judgment.

Through this are the treasures opened, and the clouds fly out like birds.

By his greatness he hath fixed the clouds, and the hailstones are broken.

At his sight shall the mountains be shaken, and at his will the south wind shall blow.

The noise of his thunder shall strike the earth, so doth the northern storm, and the whirlwind:

And as the birds lighting upon the earth, he scattereth snow, and the falling thereof, is as the coming down of locusts.

The eye admireth at the beauty of the whiteness thereof, and the heart is astonished at the shower thereof.

He shall pour frost as salt upon the earth: and when it freezeth, it shall become like the tops of thistles.

The cold north wind bloweth, and the water is congealed into crystal; upon every gathering together of waters it shall rest, and shall clothe the waters as a breastplate.

And it shall devour the mountains, and burn the wilderness, and consume all that is green as with fire.

A present remedy of all is the speedy coming of a cloud, and a dew that meeteth it, by the heat that cometh, shall overpower it.

At his word the wind is still, and with his thought he appeaseth the deep, and the Lord hath planted islands therein.

Let them that sail on the sea, tell the dangers thereof: and when we hear with our ears, we shall admire.

There are great and wonderful works: a variety of beasts, and of all living things, and the monstrous creatures of whales.

Through him is established the end of their journey, and by his word all things are regulated.

We shall say much, and yet shall want words: but the sum of our words is, He is all.

What shall we be able to do to glorify him? for the Almighty himself is above all his works.

The Lord is terrible, and exceeding great, and his power is admirable.

Glorify the Lord as much as ever you can, for he will yet far exceed, and his magnificence is wonderful.

Blessing the Lord, exalt him as much as you can; for he is above all praise.

When you exalt him put forth all your strength, and be not weary: for you can never go far enough.

Who shall see him, and declare him? and who shall magnify him as he is from the beginning?

There are many things hidden from us that are greater than these: for we have seen but a few of his works.

But the Lord hath made all things, and to the godly he hath given wisdom.

Let us now praise men of renown and our fathers in their generation.

The Lord hath wrought great glory through his magnificence from the beginning.

Such as have borne rule in their dominions, men of great power, and endued with their wisdom, shewing forth in the prophets the dignity of prophets,

And ruling over the present people, and by the strength of wisdom instructing the people in most holy words.

Such as by their skill sought out musical tunes, and published canticles of the scriptures.

Rich men in virtue, studying beautifulness: living at peace in their houses.

All these have gained glory in their generations, and were praised in their days.

They that were born of them have left a name behind them, that their praises might be related:

And there are some, of whom there is no memorial: who are perished, as if they had never been: and are become as if they had never been born, and their children with them.

But these were men of mercy, whose godly deeds have not failed:

Good things continue with their seed,

Their posterity are a holy inheritance, and their seed hath stood in the covenants.

And their children for their sakes remain for ever: their seed and their glory shall not be forsaken.

Their bodies are buried in peace, and their name liveth unto generation and generation.

Let the people shew forth their wisdom, and the church declare their praise.

Henoch pleased God, and was translated into paradise, that he may give repentance to the nations.

Noe was found perfect, just, and in the time of wrath he was made a reconciliation.

Therefore was there a remnant left to the earth, when the flood came.

The covenants of the world were made with him, that all flesh should no more be destroyed with the flood.

Abraham was the great father of a multitude of nations, and there was not found the like to him in glory, who kept the law of the most High, and was in covenant with him.

In his flesh he established the covenant, and in temptation he was found faithful.

Therefore by an oath he gave him glory in his posterity, that he should increase as the dust of the earth,

And that he would exalt his seed as the stars, and they should inherit from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.

And he did in like manner with Isaac for the sake of Abraham his father.

The Lord gave him the blessing of all nations, and confirmed his covenant upon the head of Jacob.

He acknowledged him in his blessings, and gave him an inheritance, and divided him his portion in twelve tribes.

And he preserved for him men of mercy, that found grace in the eyes of all flesh.

Moses was beloved of God, and men: whose memory is in benediction.

He made him like the saints in glory, and magnified him in the fear of his enemies, and with his words he made prodigies to cease.

He glorified him in the sight of kings, and gave him commandments in the sight of his people, and shewed him his glory.

He sanctified him in his faith, and meekness, and chose him out of all flesh.

For he heard him, and his voice, and brought him into a cloud.

And he gave him commandments before his face, and a law of life and instruction, that he might teach Jacob his covenant, and Israel his judgments.

He exalted Aaron his brother, and like to himself of the tribe of Levi:

He made an everlasting covenant with him, and gave him the priesthood of the nation, and made him blessed in glory,

And he girded him about with a glorious girdle, and clothed him with a robe of glory, and crowned him with majestic attire.

He put upon him a garment to the feet, and breeches, and an ephod, and he compassed him with many little bells of gold all round about,

That as he went there might be a sound, and a noise made that might be heard in the temple, for a memorial to the children of his people.

He gave him a holy robe of gold, and blue, and purple, a woven work of a wise man, endued with judgment and truth:

Of twisted scarlet the work of an artist, with precious stones cut and set in gold, and graven by the work of a lapidary for a memorial, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

And a crown of gold upon his mitre wherein was engraved Holiness, an ornament of honour: a work of power, and delightful to the eyes for its beauty.

Before him there were none so beautiful, even from the beginning.

No stranger was ever clothed with them, but only his children alone, and his grandchildren for ever.

His sacrifices were consumed with fire every day.

Moses filled his hands and anointed him with holy oil.

This was made to him for an everlasting testament, and to his seed as the days of heaven, to execute the office of the priesthood, and to have praise, and to glorify his people in his name.

He chose him out of all men living, to offer sacrifice to God, incense, and a good savour, for a memorial to make reconciliation for his people:

And he gave him power in his commandments, in the covenants of his judgments, that he should teach Jacob his testimonies, and give light to Israel in his law.

And strangers stood up against him, and through envy the men that were with Dathan and Abiron, compassed him about in the wilderness, and the congregation of Core in their wrath.

The Lord God saw and it pleased him not, and they were consumed in his wrathful indignation.

He wrought wonders upon them, and consumed them with a flame of fire.

And he added glory to Aaron, and gave him an inheritance, and divided unto him the firstfruits of the increase of the earth.

He prepared them bread in the first place unto fulness: for the sacrifices also of the Lord they shall eat, which he gave to him, and to his seed.

But he shall not inherit among the people in the land, and he hath no portion among the people: for he himself is his portion and inheritance.

Phinees the son of Eleazar is the third in glory, by imitating him in the fear of the Lord:

And he stood up in the shameful fall of the people: in the goodness and readiness of his soul he appeased God for Israel.

Therefore he made to him a covenant of peace, to be the prince of the sanctuary, and of his people, that the dignity of priesthood should be to him and to his seed for ever.

And a covenant to David the king, the son of Jesse of the tribe of Juda, an inheritance to him and to his seed, that he might give wisdom into our heart to judge his people in justice, that their good things might not be abolished, and he made their glory in their nation everlasting.

Valiant in war was Jesus the son of Nave, who was successor of Moses among the prophets, who was great according to his name,

Very great for the saving the elect of God, to overthrow the enemies that rose up against them, that he might get the inheritance for Israel.

How great glory did he gain when he lifted up his hands, and stretched out swords against the cities?

Who before him hath so resisted? for the Lord himself brought the enemies.

Was not the sun stopped in his anger, and one day made as two?