| Samuel Kettell, ed. Specimens of American Poetry. 1829. | | | | Hymn Written During a Voyage | | By Mather Byles (1706–1788) |
| | | GREAT God thy works our wonder raise; | |
| To thee our swelling notes belong; | |
| While skies and winds, and rocks and seas, | |
| Around shall echo to our song. | |
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| Thy power produced this mighty frame, | 5 |
| Aloud to thee the tempests roar, | |
| Or softer breezes tune thy name | |
| Gently along the shelly shore. | |
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| Round thee the scaly nation roves, | |
| Thy opening hands their joys bestow, | 10 |
| Through all the blushing coral groves, | |
| These silent gay retreats below. | |
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| See the broad sun forsake the skies, | |
| Glow on the waves and downward glide, | |
| Anon heaven opens all its eyes, | 15 |
| And star-beams tremble o’er the tide. | |
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| Each various scene, or day or night, | |
| Lord! points to thee our nourish’d soul; | |
| Thy glories fix our whole delight; | |
| So the touch’d needle courts the pole. | 20 | | | |
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