I praise you, Lord, for all you have created:
the sun above that gives us light and heat,
the moon and stars that fill the sky,
the plants and trees that beautify
the earth that you have set beneath my feet.
I thank you, Lord, for giving me this bounty:
a universe that feeds and cares for me.
So may I return to you, my God,
my thankfulness and praise for all I see.

I praise you, Lord, that you are my redeemer:
that you, the Son of God, should come to earth,
and take our human frailty,
and live in great humility,
and die for folk like me of little worth.
I thank you, Lord, you wanted my reaction,
that I should come to you, receive your grace,
and so I return to you, my God,
and trust in you, that I may see your face.

I praise you, Lord, that you are my inspirer,
that you did not leave me alone on earth,
but met my spirit deep within,
convinced, convicted me of sin,
and joined with me and brought me to new birth.
I thank you, Lord, you grace me with your presence,
and grow your gifts and fruit within my heart,
so may I return to you, my Lord,
a life lived by your strength in every part.

Words and tune copyright © John Hartley 2006.
The tune is on our web site.

I wanted to express the same movement in the first two verses, but then to rejoice in the way God transforms the life of the believer by his Holy Spirit. The three verses address the three persons of the Trinity in thanks for their particular ministry to us.

Harvest hymns have always expressed praise to God for his wonderful creation, and often gone on to express personal response in giving back to God the fruits of our lives and our faith in him. One of the messages of Harvest is that God’s care is meant to lead us to trust in God and to the growth of his character in us.

John Hartley