Psalter Hymnal (Gray) ‎#410

410. Crown Him with Many Crowns

1 Crown him with many crowns,
the Lamb upon his throne,
while heaven's eternal anthem drowns
all music but its own!
Awake, my soul, and sing
of him who died to be
your Savior and your matchless King
through all eternity.

2 Crown him the Lord of life,
triumphant o'er the grave,
who rose victorious from the strife
for those he came to save.
His glories now we sing
who died and reigns on high;
he died, eternal life to bring,
and lives that death may die.

3 Crown him the Lord of peace;
his kingdom is at hand.
From pole to pole let warfare cease
and Christ rule every land!
All hail, Redeemer, hail,
for you have died for me.
Your praise shall never, never fail
throughout eternity.

Text Information

• First Line: Crown him with many crowns
• Title: Crown Him with Many Crowns
• Author (st. 1, 3): Matthew Bridges (1851)
• Author (st. 2): Godfrey Thring (1874, alt.)
• Meter: SMD
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1987
• Scripture:
  Isaiah 2:4
  ;
  Revelation 19:11-16
• Topic: Doxologies; Ascension & Reign of Christ; King, God/Christ as; Easter; Eternal Life; Kingdom; Lamb of God

Tune Information

• Name: DIADEMATA
• Composer: George J. Elvey (1868)
• Composer (desc.): Hal H. Hopson (1979)
• Meter: SMD
• Key: D Major
• Copyright: Descant © 1979, G.I.A. Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.

Text Information:

Scripture References:
st. 1 = Rev. 19:12
st. 3 = Isa. 2:4, Ps. 46:9

This text is a composite of texts by two different authors, both of whom were inspired by the words from Revelation 19:12, "On his head are many crowns." Matthew Bridges' six-stanza text was published in his Hymns of the Heart in 1851. Asked to improve on Bridges' text, Godfrey Thring wrote a new text instead, which was published in his Hymns and Sacred Lyrics in 1874. Drawing from both authors' texts, the Church of England Hymn Book published a composite version of "Crown Him" in 1880. Most hymnals follow that example and include stanzas written by both Bridges and Thring; stanzas 1 and 3 are by Bridges, and stanza 2 is by Thring.

The text is a magnificent celebration of Christ's victory over sin and death and of his rule in the world. The "crown," which in Revelation refers to both the crown of royalty/ kingship and the wreath of victory given to an athlete, symbolizes both the victory and the rule.

Matthew Bridges (b. Malden, Essex, England, 1800; d. Sidmouth, Devonshire, England, 1894) was raised in the Church of England. Though he wrote the anti-Roman Catholic book The Roman Empire under Constantine the Great in 1829, he came under the influence of the Oxford Movement and left the Church of England to become Roman Catholic. Bridges wrote a number of historical works, as well as poetry and hymns, and published them in collections such as Hymns of the Heart (1847) and The Passion of Jesus (1852). He lived in Quebec, Canada, for some time but returned to England before his death.

Geoffrey Thring (b. Alford, Somersetshire, England, 1823; d. Shamley Green, Guilford, Surrey, England, 1903) was born in the parsonage of Alford, where his father was rector. Educated at Balliol College, Oxford, England, he was ordained a priest in the Church of England in 1847. After serving in several other parishes, Thring re¬turned to Alford and Hornblotten in 1858 to succeed his father as rector, a position he retained until his own retirement in 1893. He was also associated with Wells Cathedral (1867-1893). After 1861 Thring wrote many hymns and published several hymnals, including Hymns Congregational (1866), Hymns and Sacred Lyrics (1874), and the respect¬ed A Church of England Hymn Book Adapted to the Daily Services of the Church Throughout the Year (1880), which was enlarged as The Church of England Hymn Book (1882).

Liturgical Use:
A fine doxology for festive worship services (especially Easter and Ascension); many other times of jubilant praise and adoration.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook

Tune Information:

Composed for Bridges's text by George J. Elvey (PHH 48), DIADEMATA was first published in the 1868 Appendix to Hymns Ancient and Modern. Since that publication, the tune has retained its association with this text. The name DIADEMATA is derived from the Greek word for "crowns."
The tune is lively and buoyant (though the harmony lacks life, especially the inner voices). Sing a strong unison on stanza 3 if using the Hal H. Hopson (PHH 219) descant. A number of good choral and brass arrangements, useful for festive occasions, are available.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook