Rejoice in
God, O ye Tongues; give the glory to the Lord,
and the
Lamb.
Nations, and languages, and every Creature, in which is the
breath of
Life.
Let
man and
beast appear before him, and magnify his
name together.
Let
Noah and his company approach the throne of
Grace,
and do homage to the Ark of their
Salvation.
Let
Abraham present a
Ram, and worship the God of his
Redemption.
Let Isaac, the Bridegroom, kneel with his Camels, and bless
the hope of his
pilgrimage.
Let Jacob, and his speckled Drove adore the good
Shepherd
of
Israel.
Let Esau offer a scape
Goat for his
seed, and rejoice in the
blessing of God his father.
Let Nimrod, the mighty hunter, bind a Leopard to the
altar, and
consecrate his spear to the Lord.
Let Ishmael dedicate a
Tyger, and give praise for the
liberty, in which the Lord has let him at large.
Let Balaam appear with an
Ass, and bless the Lord his
people and his creatures for a reward eternal.
Let Anah, the son of Zibion, lead a Mule to the
temple,
and bless God, who amerces the consolation of the
creature for the service of Man.
Let Daniel come forth with a
Lion, and praise God with all
his might through faith in Christ
Jesus.
Let Naphthali with an Hind give glory in the goodly words
of
Thanksgiving.
Let Aaron, the high
priest, sanctify a
Bull, and let him go
free to the Lord and Giver of Life.
Let the Levites of the Lord take the Beavers of the brook
alive into the Ark of the Testimony.
Let Eleazar with the Ermine serve the Lord decently and in
purity.
Let Ithamar minister with a Chamois, and bless the name
of Him, which clotheth the
naked.
Let Gershom with an Pygarg (Hart) bless the name of Him,
who feedeth the
hungry.
Let Merari praise the wisdom and power of God with the
Coney, who scoopeth the
rock, and archeth in the sand.
Let Kohath serve with the Sable, and bless God in the
ornaments of the Temple.
Let Jehoida bless God with an
Hare, whose mazes are
determined for the health of the body and to parry the
adversary.
Let Ahitub humble himself with an Ape before Almighty
God, who is the maker of variety and pleasantry.
Let Abiathar with a Fox praise the name of the Lord, who
balances
craft against strength and skill against number.
Let
Moses, the Man of God, bless with a
Lizard, in the
sweet majesty of good-nature, and the magnanimity of
meekness.
Let Joshua praise God with an
Unicorn - the swiftness of
the Lord, and the strength of the Lord, and the
spear of
the Lord mighty in battle.
Let Caleb with an
Ounce praise the Lord of the Land of
beauty and rejoice in the blessing of his good Report.
Let Othniel praise God with the Rhinoceros, who put on
his armour for the reward of
beauty in the Lord.
Let Tola bless with the
Toad, which is the good creature of
God, tho' his virtue is in the
secret, and his mention is
not made.
Let Barak praise with the Pard - and great is the might of
the faithful and great is the Lord in the
nail of Jael and in
the
sword of the Son of Abinoam.
Let Gideon bless with the Panther - the Word of the Lord
is
invincible by him that lappeth from the brook.
Let Jotham praise with the
Urchin, who took up his
parable and provided himself for the adversary to kick
against the pricks.
Let Boaz, the Builder of Judah, bless with the
Rat, which
dwelleth in hardship and
peril, that they may look to
themselves and keep their houses in order.
Let Obed-Edom with a Dormouse praise the Name of the
Lord God his Guest for increase of his store and for
peace.
Let Abishai bless with the Hyaena - the
terror of the Lord,
and the fierceness, of his
wrath against the foes of the
King and of
Israel.
Let Ethan praise with the
Flea, his coat of mail, his piercer,
and his vigour, which wisdom and providence have
contrived to attract observation and to escape it.
Let Heman bless with the Spider, his
warp and his woof,
his subtlety and industry, which are good.
Let Chalcol praise with the Beetle, whose life is
precious in
the sight of God, tho' his appearance is against him.
Let Darda with a
Leech bless the Name of the
Physician of
body and soul.
Let Mahol praise the Maker of Earth and Sea with the
Otter, whom God has given to dive and to
burrow for
his preservation.
Let David bless with the Bear - The beginning of victory to
the Lord - to the Lord the perfection of excellence -
Hallelujah from the heart of God, and from the hand of
the artist inimitable, and from the echo of the heavenly
harp in sweetness magnifical and mighty.
Let Solomon praise with the Ant, and give the glory to the
Fountain of all Wisdom.
Let Romamti-ezer bless with the
Ferret - The Lord is a
rewarder of them, that diligently seek him.
Let Samuel, the Minister from a child, without ceasing
praise with the
Porcupine, which is the creature of
defence and stands upon his arms continually.
Let Nathan with the Badger bless God for his retired fame,
and
privacy inaccessible to slander.
Let Joseph, who from the abundance of his blessing may
spare to him, that lacketh, praise with the
Crocodile,
which is pleasant and pure, when he is interpreted, tho'
his look is of terror and offence.
Let Esdras bless Christ Jesus with the
Rose and his people,
which is a nation of living sweetness.
Let Mephibosheth with the Cricket praise the God of
cheerfulness, hospitality, and gratitude.
Let Shallum with the
Frog bless God for the meadows of
Canaan, the fleece, the
milk and the honey.
Let Hilkiah praise with the Weasel, which sneaks for his
prey in craft, and dwelleth at ambush.
Let Job bless with the
Worm - the life of the Lord is in
Humiliation, the Spirit also and the truth.
Let Elihu bless with the
Tortoise, which is food for praise
and thanksgiving.
Let Hezekiah praise with the Dromedary - the zeal for the
glory of God is excellence, and to bear his
burden is
grace.
Let Zadok worship with the Mole - before honour is
humility, and he that looketh low shall learn.
Let Gad with the Adder bless in the simplicity of the
preacher and the wisdom of the creature.
Let Tobias bless Charity with his Dog, who is faithful,
vigilant, and a friend in poverty.
Let Anna bless God with the
Cat, who is worthy to be
presented before the throne of grace, when he has
trampled upon the idol in his prank.
Let Benaiah praise with the Asp - to conquer
malice is
nobler, then to slay the lion.
Let Barzillai bless with the Snail - a friend in need is as the
balm of Gilead, or as the
slime to the
wounded bark.
Let Joab with the Horse worship the Lord God of Hosts.
Let Shemaiah bless God with the Caterpiller - the minister
of vengeance is the harbinger of
mercy.
Let Ahimelech with the Locust bless God from the
tyranny
of numbers.
Let Cornelius with the
Swine bless God, which purifyeth all
things for the poor.
Let Araunah bless with the Squirrel, which is a gift of
homage from the poor man to the
wealthy and
increaseth good will.
Let Bakbakkar bless with the Salamander, which feedeth
upon
ashes as bread, and whose joy is at the mouth of
the
furnace.
Let
Jabez bless with the Tarantula, who maketh his bed in the
moss, which he feedeth, that the pilgrim may take heed
to his way.
Let Jakim with the Satyr bless God in the
dance.
Let Iddo praise the Lord with the Moth - the writings of
man
perish as the garment, but the Book of God
endureth for ever.
Let Nebuchcanezzar bless with the Grashopper - the pomp
and vanities of the world are as the
herb of the field, but
the glory of the Lord increaseth for ever.
Let Naboth bless with the Canker-worm -
envy is cruel
and killeth and preyeth upon that which God has given
to aspire and bear fruit.
Let Lud bless with the Elk, the strenuous asserter of his
liberty, and the maintainer of his ground.
Let Obadiah with the Palmer-worm bless God for the
remnant that is left.
Let Agur bless with the Cockatrice - The consolation of the
world is
deceitful, and temporal honour the crown of
him that creepeth.
Let Ithiel bless with the Baboon, whose motions are regular
in the wilderness, and who defendeth himself with a staff
against the assailant.
Let Ucal bless with the Cameleon, which feedeth on the
Flowers and washeth himself in the dew.
Let Lemuel bless with the Wolf, which is a dog without a
master, but the Lord hears his cries and feeds him in the
desert.
Let Hananiah bless with the Civet, which is pure from
benevolence.
Let Azarias bless with the Reindeer, who runneth upon the
waters, and wadeth thro' the land in
snow.
Let Mishael bless with the Stoat - the praise of the Lord
gives propriety to all things.
Let Savaran bless with the Elephant, who gave his life for
his country that he might put on
immortality.
Let Nehemiah, the imitator of God, bless with the
Monkey,
who is work'd down from Man.
Let Manasses bless with the Wild-Ass - liberty begetteth
insolence, but necessity is the mother of
prayer.
Let Jebus bless with the Camelopard, which is good to
carry and to parry and to
kneel.
Let Huz bless with the Polypus - lively subtlety is
acceptable to the Lord.
Let Buz bless with the Jackall - but the Lord is the Lion's
provider.
Let Meshullam bless with the Dragon, who maketh his den
in
desolation and rejoiceth amongst the ruins.
Let Enoch bless with the Rackoon, who walked with God
as by the
instinct.
Let Hashbadana bless with the Catamountain, who stood
by the
Pulpit of God against the dissensions of the
Heathen.
Let Ebed-Melech bless with the Mantiger, the
blood of the
Lord is sufficient to do away with the offence of
Cain, and
reinstate the creature which is amerced.
Let A Little
Child with a
Serpent bless Him, who ordaineth
strength in babes to the confusion of the Adversary.
Let Hildah bless with the
Silkworm - the ornaments of the
Proud are from the bowels of their Betters.
Let Susanna bless with the Butterfly - beauty hath wings,
but
chastity is the
Cherub.
Let Sampson bless with the Bee, to whom the Lord hath
given strength to
annoy the assailant and wisdom to his
strength.
Let Amasiah bless with the Chaffer - the top of the tree is
for the brow of the champion, who has given the glory to
God.
Let Hashum bless with the Fly, whose health is the honey
of the air, but he feeds upon the thing
strangled, and
perisheth.
Let Malchiah bless with the Gnat - it is good for man and
beast to mend their pace.
Let Pedaiah bless with the Humble-Bee, who loves himself
in
solitude and makes his
honey alone.
Let Maaseiah bless with the Drone, who with the
appearance of a Bee is neither a
soldier nor an
artist,
neither a swordsman nor smith.
Let Urijah bless with the Scorpion, which is a
scourge
against the murmurers - the Lord keep it from our
coasts.
Let Anaiah bless with the Dragon-fly, who sails over the
pond by the wood-side and feedeth on the cresses.
Let Zorobabel bless with the Wasp, who is the Lord's
architect, and buildeth his edifice in armour.
Let Jehu bless with the Hornet, who is the soldier of the
Lord to extirpate
abomination and to prepare the way of
peace.
Let Mattithiah bless with the
Bat, who inhabiteth the
desolations of
pride and flieth amongst the tombs.
Let Elias which is the innocency of the Lord rejoice with
the
Dove.
Let Asaph rejoice with the Nightingale - The musician of
the Lord! and the watchman of the Lord!
Let Shema rejoice with the Glowworm, who is the
lamp of
the traveller and the
mead of the musician.
Let Jeduthun rejoice with the Woodlark, who is sweet and
various.
Let Chenaniah rejoice with the Chloris, in the vivacity of his
powers and the beauty of his person.
Let Gideoni rejoice with the Goldfinch, who is
shrill and
loud, and full withal.
Let Giddalti rejoice with the Mocking-bird, who takes off
the notes of the
Aviary and reserves his own.
Let Jogli rejoice with the Linnet, who is distinct and of mild
delight.
Let Benjamin bless and rejoice with the Redbird, who is
soft and soothing.
Let Dan rejoice with the
Blackbird, who praises God with
all his heart, and biddeth to be of good cheer.
Christopher Smart, 1722-1771