For adoration all the ranks
Of angels yield eternal thanks,
And David in the midst.

The lines evoke a vision of cosmic worship: angelic “ranks” offer ceaseless gratitude, while King David—biblical poet and psalmist—stands “in the midst,” emblematic of inspired praise through song. In Smart’s devotional poetics, David often functions as the archetype of sacred music, linking heavenly adoration with human liturgy. The couplets’ hymn-like cadence suggests communal worship rather than private meditation, emphasizing ordered, hierarchical praise (“ranks”) unified by thanksgiving. The effect is to place poetic utterance within a larger theology of praise, where song becomes a shared language between angels and the faithful, with David as the central exemplar of sanctified artistry.