Tune: OUR GOD REIGNS

Composer: Leonard E. Smith

Leonard Earl ‘Lenny’ Smith, Jr USA 1942-present. Born at Philadelphia, PA, the son of a career Marine Corp father and Catholic mother. The family moved around frequently due to his father’s transfers. They lived in PA, VA, CA, NC, Guam, and finally NJ. He was raised Protestant, though his mother was a devout Catholic. She would drop the children off at a Protestant church at the insistence of her non-religious husband, then attend her own church. When Smith was 12, his father left the family, he then attended the Catholic church with his mother. He wished to prepare for the priesthood and in 1960 studied at Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary, Menominee, MI, then at Mt St Paul Seminary, Waukesha, WI. and Mt St Mary’s Seminary,… Go to person page >

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Tune Information

Title:	OUR GOD REIGNS
Composer:	Leonard E. Smith (1974)
Meter:	Irregular
Incipit:	34561 71766 55343
Key:	B♭ Major
Copyright:	© 1974, 1978, L. E. Smith, Jr., New Jerusalem Music. Composer has given permission for the hymn to be freely used from this website;© Leonard E. Smith, Jr./New Jerusalem Music, 225 Pine Mill Rd., Clarksboro, NJ 08020

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Texts

Our God Reigns

How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him
who brings good news, good news;
Announcing peace, proclaiming news of happiness:
our God reigns, our God reigns!

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All texts published with OUR GOD REIGNS ^ top

Notes

OUR GOD REIGNS is an effective tune that gains its strength and popularity from its powerful chorus, in which hammer-stroke chords (in the style of George F. Handel's oratorios) proclaim "Our God reigns!"
Dale Grotenhuis (PHH 4) harmonized the tune in 1984 for the Psalter Hymnal. OUR GOD REIGNS lends itself to either unison or part singing. One of the most widely used Scripture choruses of praise, "Our God Reigns" gained popularity in the Christian Reformed Church when it was a theme song for Christian Reformed Home Missions.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook, 1987

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Timeline

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Arrangements

Arrangements

Organ Solo

Oxford Hymn Settings for Organists Volume 4 Easter and Ascension: 29 Original Pieces on Hymns for Easter and Ascension
Composer/Editors Rebecca Groom Te Velde; David Blackwell
Published By: Oxford University Press (2015) pp. 74
Worship Songs for Organ: 50 Favorites Arranged by Simon Lesley
Composer/Editor Simon Lesley
Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (2002) pp. 21
Yesterday, Today and Forever
Composer/Editor Larry Mayfield
Published By: Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc. (1995) pp. 57

Piano Solo

Be Strong in the Lord: Songs and Hymns of Hope & Praise for Piano
Composer/Editor Tom Fettke
Published By: Word Music (2006) pp. 38
Piano Favorites for Easter: Including Palm Sunday and Holy Week
Composer/Editor Fred Bock
Published By: Fred Bock Music Company (1998) pp. 32
Bock's Best Volume V: 50 Outstanding Piano Arrangements of Hymns and Gospel Songs
Composer/Editor Fred Bock
Published By: Fred Bock Music Company (1996) pp. 26
Piano Praise & Worship: Preludes, Offertories, and Postludes Creative Piano Settings by Fred Bock
Composer/Editor Fred Bock
Published By: Fred Bock Music Company (1993) pp. 15