Crown Him with Many Crowns
This article begins the first in a series here at Reformation Journal where we will look at the history and content of some of the great hymns of the church. Perhaps by knowing more about them we might sing them more frequently in corporate worship and be more encouraged in doing so.
“Crown Him with Many Crowns” was first written in 1851 by Matthew Bridges and contained 5 stanzas. Bridges was born in 1800 in Essex England and while raised in the Anglican church, converted to Catholicism in 1848 under the influence of John Henry Newman and the Oxford Movement. 30 years later two more stanzas were added by Godfrey Thring, a Prebendary of Wells Cathedral. Only one (3rd in most hymnals) of Thring’s additional stanzas appears in most hymnals today.
The hymn’s greatness comes from its clear affirmations about the person and work of Christ and is based on Revelation 19:12:
His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
Stanza after stanza celebrates the kingship of Christ with language as majestic as it is poetic. I believe this hymn is unequaled for the purpose of proclaiming the beauty and power interwoven in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
The tune, DIADEMATA, is fittingly triumphant for the lyrics. It was composed by George Job Elvey in the middle of the 19th century. Elvey began his musical career at the Canterbury Cathedral while singing as a boy and received his formal training at the Royal Academy of Music. He was knighted in 1871 for a piece he wrote to be played at the wedding of Princess Louise (Festival March).
Of the following stanzas, Bridges wrote the first, fourth, fifth, sixth, and ninth. Thring wrote the second and third.
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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.