Scripture Verse

On His head were many crowns. Revelation 19:12

Introduction

Words: Ez­ra E. Adams (1813–1871). Ap­peared in The Charm, by Phi­lip P. Bliss (Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: Root & Ca­dy, 1871), num­ber 4. How­ev­er, The Charm gave on­ly an abridged ver­sion of three stan­zas, and did not iden­ti­fy the ly­ri­cist. Ac­know­ledge­ment of Ad­ams as the au­thor ap­peared in The Con­cor­dia, by Al­ma Jane Her­bert (Con­cord, New Hamp­shire: Rum­ford Print­ing, 1907), pag­es 26–27.

Music: White­cha­pel George F. Root, 1871 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Ad­ams (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
George F. Root (1820–1895)

Lyrics

Bring a gar­land for His brow,
Pour your in­cense at His feet;
Ye who in His pre­sence bow,
Ye who stand around His seat.

Refrain

Crown Him, crown Him, won­drous sto­ry,
Son of man yet King of glo­ry!
Pour your in­cense at His feet,
Ye who stand around His seat.

Weave for Him a dia­dem,
Ye who know His migh­ty love;
Gather ev­ery price­less gem
From the worlds be­low—above.

Refrain

All the Church in Hea­ven and earth
Cast your crowns be­fore His throne,
Magnify His match­less worth,
He re­deemed you—He alone.

Refrain

Adams’ orig­in­al po­em, as giv­en in The Con­cor­dia, by Al­ma Jane Her­bert (Con­cord, New Hamp­shire: Rum­ford Print­ing, 1907), pag­es 26–27:

Bring a gar­land for His brow,
Pour your in­cense at His feet,
Ye who stand around His seat,
Who in His bright pre­sence bow:
Crown Him! crown Him! won­drous sto­ry,
Jesus is the King of Glo­ry.

Weave for Him a dia­dem
Ye who know His migh­ty love,
From the worlds below, above,
Gather every price­less gem.
Crown Him! crown Him! won­drous sto­ry,
Son of man, yet King of glo­ry.

Be His brow with splen­dor crowned,
Thorns once pierced His gen­tle head,
He was num­bered with the dead;
In His blood our sins are drowned.
Crown Him! crown Him! won­drous sto­ry,
Jesus died, the King of Glo­ry.

All the church in Hea­ven and earth,
Cast your crowns be­fore His throne,
He re­deemed you, He alone;
Magnify His match­less worth.
Crown Him! crown Him! won­drous sto­ry,
Jesus rose, the King of Glo­ry.

Every scep­tered one below,
Principalities above,
Celebrate His bound­less love—
His eter­nal gran­deur show.
Crown Him! crown Him! won­drous sto­ry,
Jesus reigns, the King of Glo­ry.