Praise and Marvel with a Hymn to God’s Creation: ​"All Things Bright and Beautiful"

A hymn in five verses that praises all Creations, Cecil F. Alexander's "All Things Bright and Beautiful" is the epitome of recognizing and applauding our Creator for the world we live in. It is also an excellent method to teach children about the wonders of God's creations.

"All Things Bright and Beautiful" was penned in 1848 by Mrs Cecil Frances "Franny" Alexander (1818-1895). She was the wife to William Alexander, an Anglican Bishop in Derry, Ireland.

Due to her hymns, she was considered as one of the best hymn-writers for children. Alexander was born in Wicklow, England (1818) and died in Ireland (1895). She was prolific, with 400 credited hymns. Most of her hymns are created as part of her instruction in Sunday school class.

Mrs. Alexander's inspiration for creating this hymn was her attempt to teach children the meaning of the Apostles' Creed. Unable to imply the meaning using traditional means; she decided to write hymn based on the Creed. "All Things Bright and Beautiful" was one product of this endeavor. Other hymns include "Once in Royal David's City"," There Is a Green Hill Far Away" and "He Is Coming! He Is Coming!” These hymns were published in 1848 as a collection entitled Hymns for Little Children. It was a success and was popular with almost 170 printed editions.

English veterinarian James Herriot reignited the hymn's popularity when he published his book, All Creatures Great and Small. The title was derived from the hymn's first line. The same was true for his three successive books. His books, All Things Bright and Beautiful, All Things Wise and Wonderful and The Lord God Made Them All, also contained lines from this hymn. His books made the hymn more popular when they were adapted into movies and a TV show. Popular melodies for this hymn include the 17th-century English melody "Royal Oak" by Martin Shaw and "All Things Bright and Beautiful" by William Henry Monk.