CROWN HIM WITH MANY CROWNS

By Tim Claubaugh

CROWN HIM WITH MANY CROWNS
TEXT: Revelation 19: 12; Vs. 1, 3-5, Matthew Bridges, 1800-1894; Vs. 2. Godfrey Thring, 1823-1903
MUSIC: George J. Elvey, 1816-1893
TUNE: DIADEMATA
METER: SMD (Short Meter Double: 6, 6, 8, 6; 6, 6, 8, 6)


Richard Niell Donovan, on the Lectionary.org web site writes, “’Crown Him with Many Crowns’ was written by Matthew Bridges, an Anglican clergyman who at age 48 converted to Roman Catholicism and at age 51 wrote this hymn. It is the one hymn written by Bridges to still be sung widely today.

Bridges wrote six verses, each celebrating some aspect of God, such as kingship, love, and peace. Some years later, Godfrey Thring, an Anglican clergyman, thought that the hymn needed a verse celebrating the resurrection, so he wrote the one that begins, "Crown him the Lord of life, who triumphed o'er the grave" -- and he wrote additional verses as well. The hymn as found in most hymnals today includes verses by both Bridges and Thring.”

The tune, DIADEMATA (the Greek word for crowns), was composed by George Elvey, a renowned organist at that time serving the post of organist at St. George's Chapel in Windsor, England. It should be noted that British royalty often attend this church.



1. Crown Him with many crowns,
The Lamb Upon His Throne;
Hark! How the heav’nly anthem drowns
All music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of him who set us free,
and hail him as your heav’nly king
Through all eternity.

2. Crown Him the Lord of Life,
Who triumphed o’er 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.

3. Crown Him the Lord of Love,
Behold the hands and side,
Rich wounds yet visible above
In beauty glorified.
No angel in the sky
Can fully bear that sight,
But down-wards bends his burning eye
At mysteries so bright

4. Crown Him the Lord of Peace,
Whose power a scepter sways
From pole to pole, that wars may cease,
Absorbed in prayer and praise.
His reign shall know no end,
And round his pierced feet
Fair flow’rs to Paradise extend
Their fragrance ever sweet.

5. Crown Him the Lord of Years,
The risen Lord sublime,
Creator if the rolling spheres,
The Master of all time,
All hail, redeemer, hail!
For you have died for me;
Your praise and glory shall not fail
Through-out eternity.