The version of Crown Him with many crowns you'll find in hymnbooks is most probably the work of not one but two writers - Matthew Bridges and Godfrey Thring. Sing along to three of the possible twelve verses in today's programme.
Christ Surrounded by Musician Angels - Hans Memling (1480s) Photo: Wikimedia Commons
SONG: CROWN HIM WITH MANY CROWNS
Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (dir), Ronald Jordan (organ)
Words/Music: Bridges, Thring/Elvey
Recording: Marquis 1811175
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 chosen king
through all eternity.
Crown him the Lord of life,
who triumphed o’er the grave,
who 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 heav'n,
Enthroned in worlds above;
Crown him the King to whom is giv'n
The wondrous name of Love.
All hail, redeemer, hail!
For thou has died for me;
Thy praise will never ever fail
throughout eternity.
SONG: PSALM 145
Artist: Choir of St John’s, Elora, Noel Edison (dir), Michael Bloss (organ)
Words/Music: Psalm 145/Handforth
Recording: Naxos 8.572540
Psalm 145
I will magnify thee, O God my King, and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever.
Every day will I give thanks unto thee and praise thy Name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord and marvellous worthy to be praised; there is no end of his greatness.
One generation shall praise thy works unto another and declare thy power.
As for me, I will be talking of thy worship, thy glory, thy praise and wondrous works;
So that men shall speak of the might of thy marvellous acts,
and I will also tell of thy greatness. The memorial of thine abundant kindness shall be
shewed, and men shall sing of thy righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and merciful, long-suffering and of great goodness.
The Lord is loving unto every man and his mercy is over all his works.
All thy works praise thee, O Lord, and thy saints give thank unto thee.
They shew the glory of thy kingdom and talk of thy power;
That thy power, thy glory and mightiness of thy kingdom might be known unto men.
Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all ages.
The Lord upholdeth all such as fall and lifteth up all those that are down.
The eyes of all wait upon thee, O Lord, and thou givest them their meat in due season.
Thou openest thine hand and fillest all things living with plenteousness.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works.
The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him; yea, all such as call upon him faithfully.
He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; he also will hear their cry and will help them.
The Lord preserveth all them that love him, but scattereth abroad all the ungodly.
My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord and let all flesh give thanks
unto his holy Name for ever and ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be:
world without end. Amen
SONG: O HOLY SPIRIT (KYRIELEIS)
Artist: Festival Singers
Words/Music: Kaan/Klusmeier
Recording: FPCD2007
O Holy Spirit, hear us as we pray:
renew your people's faith day by day.
Free us from the chaos of night and deepness;
in our life and death cheer and keep us.
Kyrieleis, Kyrieleis, Kyrieleis.
Uproot and teach us by your restless love
to share with all what we are and have;
that with strong affection, in truth and doing,
we may love all life, peace pursuing.
Kyrieleis, Kyrieleis, Kyrieleis.
You plead our cause, and by your gift of peace
from fear of death our lives are released.
How we need your presence, O gift from heaven,
all our words and deeds to enliven.
Kyrieleis, Kyrieleis, Kyrieleis.
Kyrieleis, Kyrieleis, Kyrieleis.
SONG: HOLY SPRIT, EVER LIVING
Artist: Choir of All Saints Episcopal Church, Beverly Hills, Thomas Foster (dir), Craig Phillips (organ)
Words/Music: Rees/Taylor
Recording: Gothic 349074
Holy Spirit, ever living
As the Church's very life;
Holy Spirit, ever striving
Through us in a ceaseless strife;
Holy Spirit, ever forming
In the Church the mind of Christ;
Thee we praise with endless worship
For thy fruits and gifts unpriced.
Holy Spirit, ever working
Through the Church's ministry;
Quick'ning, strength'ning, and absolving,
Setting captive sinners free;
Holy Spirit, ever binding
Age to age and soul to soul
In communion never ending,
Thee we worship and extol.
SONG: O THE DEEP, DEEP LOVE OF JESUS
Artist: Choir of Hereford Cathedral
Words/Music: Francis/Thomas
Recording: Griffin GCCD 4060
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
vast, unmeasured, boundless, free,
rolling as a mighty ocean
in its fullness over me.
Underneath me, all around me,
is the current of Thy love;
leading onward, leading homeward
to my glorious rest above.
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth,
changeth never, nevermore!
How He watcheth o'er His loved ones,
died to call them all His own;
how for them He intercedeth,
watcheth o'er them from the throne.
Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus!
Love of every love the best:
vast the ocean of his blessing,
sweet the haven of his rest!
Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus,
very heaven of heavens to me,
and it lifts me up to glory,
evermore his face to see.
SONG: I WANT TO WALK AS A CHILD OF THE LIGHT
Artist: Choir of All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Beverly Hills
Words/Music: Thomerson
Recording: Gothic 349074
I want to walk as a child of the light;
I want to follow Jesus.
God set the stars to give light to the world;
The star of my life is Jesus.
Refrain:
In him there is no darkness at all;
The night and the day are both alike.
The Lamb is the light of the city of God.
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.
I want to see the brightness of God;
I want to look at Jesus.
Clear Sun of Righteousness, shine on my path
And show me the way to the Father.
Refrain:
I’m looking for the coming of Christ;
I want to be with Jesus.
When we have run with patience the race,
We shall know the joy of Jesus.
Refrain:
SONG: LEAD KINDLY LIGHT
Artist: Cantus Choro
Words/Music: Newman/Dykes
Recording: Move 743142
Lead, kindly light, amid th’encircling gloom,
lead thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home;
lead thou me on!
Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus, nor prayed that thou
shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path; but now
lead thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years!
So long thy power hath blest me, sure it still
will lead me on.
O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent,
till the night is gone,
And with the morn those angel faces smile, which I
Have loved long since, and lost awhile!
SONG: SIYAHAMBA (WE ARE MARCHING IN THE LIGHT OF GOD)
Artist: American Spiritual Ensemble
Words/Music: Anon
Recording: American Spiritual Ensemble 2009
Siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’,
siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’.
Siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’,
siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’.
Siyahamba,
Siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’.
Siyahamba,
Siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos'.
We are marching in the light of God,
we are marching in the light of God.
We are marching in the light of God,
we are marching in the light of God.
We are marching,
We are marching in the light of God.
We are marching,
We are marching in the light of God.
