One morning when the world was new and first we saw the sun,
The Lord lay down to rest a while so pleased with what He'd done.
And of all the creatures He had made He loved man the best
And so He placed into his hands the fate of all the rest.
And all these things I give to you to keep and to protect.
From the greatest of the big blue whale to the tiniest insect.
To rule with love and kindness the weak, the wild, the strong.
And treat My creatures gently only you know right from wrong.
But man was so conceited he couldn't see the worth
Of all the other creatures that shared this lovely earth
And one by one he hunted them for food and sport and greed
One by one they disappeared each species and each breed
And all these things I give to you to keep and to protect.
From the greatest of the big blue whale to the tiniest insect.
To rule with love and kindness the weak, the wild, the strong.
And treat My creatures gently only you know right from wrong.
After many years had passed the Lord came back to see
Men and all the others that He'd left so fine and free
But where are all My silver streams and forests dark and green?
There was only dust and desert wherever man had been
And all these things I give to you to keep and to protect.
From the greatest of the big blue whale to the tiniest insect.
To rule with love and kindness the weak, the wild, the strong.
And treat My creatures gently only you know right from wrong.
"Where are all my animals the Hippo and the Whale
And the fish that filled the oceans before your ships set sail
The Lion and the Tiger and the Elephants so tall
I left you as their keeper, do you not recall?"
"That all these things I gave to you, to keep and to protect,
From the greatest of the big blue whale to the tiniest insect.
To rule with love and kindness the weak, the wild, the strong.
And treat My creatures gently only you know right from wrong."
"And all these things, I gave to you, to keep and to protect,
From the greatest of the big blue whale to the tiniest insect.
To rule with love and kindness the weak, the wild, the strong.
And treat My creatures gently
Only you... know right... from wrong..."