Crown Him with Many Crowns, ELW 855
Crown Him with Many Crowns
by Matthew Bridges, 1800-1894
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 Lord of Love.
Behold His hands and side,
Rich wounds, yet visible above,
In beauty glorified.
No angel in the sky
Can fully bear that sight,
But downward bends his wondering eye
At mysteries so bright!
4 Crown Him the Lord of Life
Who triumphed o'er the grave
And rose victorious in the strife
For those He came to save.
Devotion
Crown him with many crowns... Crowns have long been worn by monarchs as a symbol of authority, power, and legitimacy to rule. In this great hymn for Christ the King Sunday, Jesus is crowned as the Lord of love, life, peace and years. If one were to write additional verses to this hymn, what types of coronation could be added?
Crown him the Lord of work! How would Jesus’ rule of love impact your daily work?
Crown him the Lord of parenthood! How would Jesus' rule of love inform your parenting?
Crown him the Lord of leisure! How would Jesus' rule of love govern your unstructured time?
The proclamation that Jesus is Lord is more than a catchy religious phrase. It is a declaration of our submission to the rule of the Crucified One in all aspects of life.
Prayer
Almighty and everlasting God, we boldly proclaim Jesus as Lord. May our whole lives be governed by his gentle rule of mercy, love and justice. Amen.