Scripture Verse

I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Revelation 1:18

Introduction

portrait
Philip Doddridge
1702–1751

Words: Phi­lip Dodd­ridge (1702–1751). Pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in Hymns Found­ed on Va­ri­ous Texts in the Ho­ly Scrip­tures, by Job Or­ton (Shrop­shire, Eng­land: Jo­shua Ed­dowes & John Cot­ton, 1755), num­ber 351: The keys of death and the un­seen world in Christ’s hand.

Music: Church Tri­um­phant James W. El­li­ott, 1874 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

Hail to the Prince of life and peace,
Who holds the keys of death and hell!
The spacious world unseen is His,
And sovereign power becomes Him well.

In shame and torment once He died,
But now He lives for evermore;
Bow down, ye saints, around His seat;
And all ye angel bands, adore.

So live for ever, glorious Lord,
To crush Thy foes, and guard Thy friends;
While all Thy chosen tribes rejoice,
That Thy dominion never ends.

Worthy Thy hands to hold the keys,
Guided by wisdom, and by love;
Worthy to rule o’er mortal life,
O’er worlds below and worlds above.

When death Thy servants shall invade,
When powers of hell Thy church annoy,
Controlled by Thee, their rage shall help
The cause they labored to destroy.

For ever reign, victorious King:
Wide through the earth Thy name be known;
And call my longing soul to sing
Sublimer anthems near Thy throne.