Through the Hymns: Crown Him with Many Crowns

Hymns have played a significant role in Christian worship for centuries, conveying profound theological truths and providing a means for believers to express their faith. Among these timeless hymns, “Crown Him with Many Crowns” stands as a masterpiece that beautifully encapsulates the majesty and glory of Jesus Christ. In this blog, we will explore the rich history of this hymn and its deep connection to scripture.

A bit of a back story – the other morning, I woke and began singing “Arise my soul and sing, for Him who died for me!” Immediately, I recognized the hymn that this line came from, but the rest of the lyrics were not coming to me very quickly. Thank goodness I had my phone nearby so I could ask it to display the lyrics. As I proceeded to get out of bed, phone in hand, I sang the rest of the song as I began my morning and was struck by these powerful lyrics. I also realized it has been quite a while since my last Through the Hymns blog post. How perfect to do one of these posts again and focus on this hymn that is rich in lyrics and deeply rooted in scripture.

A Brief History of the Hymn

“Crown Him with Many Crowns” was penned in the mid-19th century by Matthew Bridges, an Anglican clergyman and later expanded upon by Godfrey Thring. The hymn’s inspiration is believed to have come from the book of Revelation, particularly Revelation 19:12, which describes Jesus with “many crowns” on His head. The hymn was first published in 1851 and quickly gained popularity within the Christian community.

His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.

Revelation 19:12 ESV

The hymn contains multiple verses highlighting a different facet of Christ’s glory and reign. It invites believers to join in the celebration of Christ’s triumphant rule over all creation.

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.

Verse one focuses on the exalted status of Jesus as the Lamb upon His throne and the heavenly anthem surrounding Him. Did you catch the third and fourth lines? The anthem drowns all music but its own. There is no other music as edifying and exalting as this heavenly anthem. It reminds me of Revelation 4:8, where the living beings are singing day after day and night after night, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.” I’m no longer someone who is guided by an emotional response when it comes to digging into scripture or sharing in my writing or speaking, but man… the goosies on my arms that appear whenever I consider just how incredible this is are overwhelming. I can’t think of a word that comes close to justly describing what this is like – WILL be like when we get to join these beings!

Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:9-11 ESV

Jesus, being fully divine, is worthy of all worship to the glory of God.

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.

Jesus is the conqueror of death and the source of eternal life to those who believe in Him. This verse encapsulates the core message of the Gospel – that through His death and resurrection, Jesus offers salvation, eternal life, and victory over sin and death to all who believe in Him. This is a profound declaration of faith and an invitation for believers to worship and celebrate the LORD OF LIFE who has TRIUMPHED over the grave for our salvation.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives an believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

John 11:25-26 ESV

When the perishable puts ont he imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:54-57 ESV

Jesus is the resurrection and the life. All who believe in Him will have eternal life. His triumph over death is central to the Christian life. Jesus is victorious over the grave. Hallelujah and Amen!

Crown Him the Lord of peace,
Whose power a scepter sways
From pole to pole, that wars may cease,
And all be prayer and praise.
His reign shall know no end,
And round His pierced feet
Fair flowers of paradise extend
Their fragrance ever sweet.

Verse 3 of this hymn is not one I was familiar with. In my years attending the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, we may have sung this verse from the hymnal but, in my years of singing this at my current church or listening to recordings by contemporary Christian artists, I never heard this verse sung. And I ask – why the heck not???

This stanza highlights one of the titles and attributes of Jesus as the “Lord of peace” or the “Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, no crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

Revelation 21:4 ESV

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 burning eye
At mysteries so bright.

I can’t help but think of Thomas when I sing this verse. In John 20, Jesus appears to His disciples, but Thomas wasn’t there initially. When the disciples told him about Jesus appearing, he said, “Unless I see in His hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into His side, I will never believe.” (Verse 25)

Eight days later, Jesus appears again but He takes it up a notch. He enters the house even though the doors were locked and then, in verse 27, He says to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”

Thomas believed because he saw and felt the pierced hands and side of his Savior, Jesus. Blessed are those who believe but have not seen! (John 20:29)

This verse of Crown Him with Many Crowns places a spotlight on the profound love of Jesus. It acknowledges Him as the Lord of love and highlights His sacrificial and selfless nature demonstrated through His death and resurrection. Believers are invited to contemplate the depth of Christ’s love and the profound mystery of salvation. This is a poignant reminder of the central message of Christianity – the love of Christ that led Him to the cross for the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation of humanity with God.

Crown Him the Lord of years,
The potentate of time,
Creator of the rolling spheres,
Ineffably sublime.
All hail, Redeemer, hail!
For thou hast died for me;
Thy praise and glory shall not fail
Throughout eternity.

This final verse exalts Jesus as the Lord of time and the Creator of the universe, emphasizing His eternal nature and the impact of His sacrifice.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

Colossians 1:15-17 ESV

Christ is Lord of creation. Our Lord Jesus is the maker and upholder of all things in the universe.

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”
And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,
“To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

Revelation 5:11-13 ESV

What a beautiful magnification of the sovereignty of our Lord! This declaration of Christ’s supreme authority resonates deeply and affirms His unmatched greatness.

“Ineffably sublime” conveys that Jesus’ nature and attributes are beyond human comprehension. The qualities of Christ leave us in awe – the grandeur of His majesty is the focus of our worship. And worship of Him is never ending.

In closing, each stanza of this hymn beautiful weaves scripture into its verses, inviting us to worship Jesus Christ as the Lamb, the Conqueror of Death, the Lord of Peace, the Lord of Love, and the Eternal Creator of All Things. As we sing these words, we celebrate these Biblical truths and also deepen our understanding of the profound impact of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.