Gellert's poem in six stanzas, "Die Ehre Gottes aus der Natur", appeared first in his 1757 collection Geistliche Oden und Lieder (Spiritual odes and songs).

[1] Beethoven's setting was arranged for four-part choir, organ and orchestra by Joseph Dantonello [de] and became one of the most popular spiritual songs.

[1] It was arranged for organ and choir as "The Heavens are Telling" in 1925 by Virgil Thomson while he was a student at Harvard University,[4] and became popular in the United States.

The first song begins "Gott, deine Güte reicht so weit" (God, your mercy reaches far), alluding to Psalm 108:4.

The third song, "Meine Lebenszeit verstreicht" (My life time is passing by) is marked Mässig und eher langsam als geschwind (Moderately and rather slow than fast).

Die Himmel rühmen des Ewigen Ehre, Ihr Schall pflanzt seinen Namen fort.

He used the first two lines for a solemn A section; the following four (two from the first stanza and two from the second) for a softer, narrating middle section, beginning with "Ihn rühmt der Erdkreis" (The circle of the world praises Him); and the final two lines for a slightly modified repeat of the beginning, with the text "Sie kommt und leuchtet" (It comes and illuminates), the second half of the second stanza.

[8] The motif of a downward broken major triad is also found in other compositions by Beethoven dealing with solemn topics, such as the Dona nobis pacem from his Missa solemnis.

[10][11] The German pop singer Heino chose the song as the title and motto of four church concert series in Germany in 2013.