Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

The Majesty of Life

Traditional

“The Majesty of Life” as printed in The Army and Navy Hymnal (1920).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 405 1920 · historical text
Public domainHymnSacred song
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Army and Navy Hymnal, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

CANST thou by searching find out God?

Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

It is high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know?

The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

God thundereth marvellously with his voice;

Great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.

Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.

Dost thou know how God layeth his charge upon them, and causeth the lightning of his cloud to shine?

Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge?

Canst thou with him spread out the sky, which is strong as a molten mirror?

Teach us what we shall say unto him;

For we cannot set our speech in order by reason of darkness.

God hath upon him terrible majesty. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out:

He is excellent in power; and in justice and plenteous righteousness he will not afflict.

Verse 2

TRUST in the Lord with all thy heart,

And lean not upon thine own understanding:

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will direct thy paths.

Then shalt thou walk in thy way securely, and thy foot shall not stumble.

When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid:

Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh:

For the Lord will be thy confidence, and will keep thy foot from being taken.

Credits

Written by Traditional

Traditional words. Historical text published in The Army and Navy Hymnal (1920); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Army and Navy Hymnal (1920), “The Majesty of Life”

The 1920 published edition is in the public domain in the United States (pre-1931 publication). Entries whose credited author died more than 70 years ago are also in the public domain in life-plus-70 jurisdictions; traditional and anonymous entries are public domain. Pages whose scan quality is below the proofread threshold are held for review.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-26. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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