TSMSS - He Outranks Every King & President!

The eyes of the nation and the world are on Washington D.C. as the festivities surrounding the Presidential Inauguration begin. We do indeed live in a wonderful country and are blessed with many freedoms. However, although we should be careful to give the Office of President and the man who takes its oath our respect, it is important to remember that he is just a man. No earthly king or president is infallible. It saddens me to see that some of the honor is bordering on worship. As I mentioned on Friday, I heard one journalist even state that George W. Bush is a John the Baptist figure to Obama.

So my heart was drawn today to an old beloved worship hymn that proclaims exactly who our Lord and King is. This song fills me with joy any time I hear or sing it, but especially in light of current events, I am glad I am not dependent for my security on a man elected by the will of ordinary, imperfect people.

And the background of the song itself speaks to God's dominion & sovereignty over all:

Matthew Bridges was converted to Roman Catholicism when he was 48 years old, and three years later he wrote this hymn, titled "The Song of the Seraphs." Nearly thirty years later, Godfrey Thring, an Anglican clergyman added some stanzas to the song with Bridges's approval. "So a Roman Catholic layman and an Anglican cleric, who probably never met, were coauthors of a hymn about heaven, where Christians of every tribe and tongue and denomination will crown Him Lord of all.

"At a large gathering at the Royal Albert Hall in London in 1905, the Bible Society was celebrating its centennial. Congratulatory messages were read from rulers of many lands, including Great Britain and the United States. Then the moderator of the meeting said, 'Now that we have read these addresses from earthly rulers, let us turn our mind to the King of kings. We will sing Crown Him With Many Crowns.'"

Source: The Complete Book of Hymns: Inspiring Stories about 600 Hymns and Praise Songs, William J. Petersen & Ardythe Petersen, Tyndale, 2006.

Sandi Patty combines this song with All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name and just about raises the roof.


We don't sing nearly all the verses that these two gentleman wrote, but I'm including them here. The ones that are less familiar are beautiful as well!

CROWN HIM WITH MANY CROWNS

1. Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne.
   Hark! How the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own.
   Awake, my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee,
   And hail Him as thy matchless King through all eternity.
   
   
2. Crown Him the virgin’s Son, the God incarnate born,
   Whose arm those crimson trophies won which now His brow adorn;
   Fruit of the mystic rose, as of that rose the stem;
   The root whence mercy ever flows, the Babe of Bethlehem.
   
   
3. Crown Him the Son of God, before the worlds began,
   And ye who tread where He hath trod, crown Him the Son of Man;
   Who every grief hath known that wrings the human breast,
   And takes and bears them for His own, that all in Him may rest.
   
   
4. Crown Him the Lord of life, who triumphed over the grave,
   And rose victorious in the strife for those He came to save.
   His glories now we sing, who died, and rose on high,
   Who died eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die.
   
   
5. Crown Him the Lord of peace, whose power a scepter sways
   From pole to pole, that wars may cease, and all be prayer and praise.
   His reign shall know no end, and round His piercèd feet
   Fair flowers of paradise extend their fragrance ever sweet.
   
   
6. Crown Him the Lord of love, behold His hands and side,
   Those wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified.
   No angel in the sky can fully bear that sight,
   But downward bends his burning eye at mysteries so bright.
   
   
7. Crown Him the Lord of Heaven, enthroned in worlds above,
   Crown Him the King to Whom is given the wondrous name of Love.
   Crown Him with many crowns, as thrones before Him fall;
   Crown Him, ye kings, with many crowns, for He is King of all.
   
   
8. Crown Him the Lord of lords, who over all doth reign,
   Who once on earth, the incarnate Word, for ransomed sinners slain,
   Now lives in realms of light, where saints with angels sing
   Their songs before Him day and night, their God, Redeemer, King.
   
   
9. Crown Him the Lord of years, the Potentate of time,
   Creator of the rolling spheres, ineffably sublime.
   All hail, Redeemer, hail! For Thou has died for me;
   Thy praise and glory shall not fail throughout eternity.

WORDS: Matthew Bridges, 1852 (Verses 1, 4, 5, 6 & 9)
Godfrey Thring, 1874 (Verses 2, 3, 7, 8)
MUSIC: George Elvey, 1868

Be sure to go by Amy's blog for more songs to bless your weekend!