Crown Him With Many Crowns
Fountainview Academy Orchestra & Singers
Each Sunday, FishWorship features a Hymn of the Weekâa chance to revisit the great hymns of the Christian faith and the timeless messages of worship, faith, and praise they continue to share with us. This week, we’re turning our attention to one of the most majestic hymns in the Christian tradition: âCrown Him With Many Crowns,â presented in a beautiful performance by Fountainview Academy. As you listen, we invite you to reflect on the words and the many ways they point us toward the majesty, glory, and kingship of Jesus Christ.
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âCrown Him With Many Crownsâ is a hymn with a history nearly as rich as its message. Matthew Bridges wrote the original six-stanza hymn in 1851, drawing heavily on the imagery of Revelation 19:12, which describes Christ with âmany crowns.â Godfrey Thring later wrote a new set of verses, first published in 1874, and over the years the two versions were combined and adapted into the form of the hymn that is most familiar today. The magnificent tune, âDiademata,â was composed by George Job Elvey in 1868, giving the words a majestic musical setting that has helped make this hymn a favorite for generations.
What makes âCrown Him With Many Crownsâ so powerful is the way it presents a succession of pictures of who Jesus is. He is the Lamb upon the throne, the Lord of life, the Lord of love, the Lord of peace, and the Lord of years. Each âcrownâ becomes another reason to worship Himânot simply because He reigns, but because of what He has done for us. The hymn moves from Christ’s incarnation and sacrificial death to His resurrection, eternal reign, and ultimate victory. It is both an affirmation of who Christ is and a personal invitation to âawakeâ our souls and praise Him.
And then there is the Fountainview Academy presentation. Their performance brings this centuries-old message of worship into a setting that feels remarkably alive. Fountainview Academy has a wonderful tradition of taking its orchestra and singers outside the concert hall and into beautiful locations, allowing the surrounding scenery to become part of the presentation. Their âCrown Him With Many Crownsâ performance was filmed as part of their God So Loved the World project, and the combination of the young musicians, the orchestra, the voices, and the spectacular setting makes the performance feel less like simply watching a hymn being performed and more like joining in its declaration of praise.
There is something especially fitting about hearing young people sing a hymn that has been proclaiming the kingship of Christ for more than 175 years. The words may be centuries old, but the message is anything but old-fashioned: Jesus is still the Lamb, still the Redeemer, still the Lord of life and love, and still worthy of every crown we can offer Him. As you watch Fountainview Academy’s beautiful on-location performance, take a moment to let the words sink inâand then, as the hymn invites us to do, awake your soul and sing.
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