A hymn for your congregation to learn and sing in worship, and for your family to learn and sing in the home.
Traditional recording (Mormon Tabernacle Choir)
Modern recording (Reawaken Hymns)
Getty Kids recording
Lyrics
Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne.
Hark! how the heav'nly 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 thro' all eternity.
Crown Him the Lord of love! Behold His hands and side—
Rich wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified.
All hail, Redeemer, hail! For Thou hast died for me:
Thy praise and glory shall not fail throughout 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! One with the Father known,
One with the Spirit thro' Him giv'n from yonder glorious throne.
To Thee be endless praise, for Thou for us hast died.
Be Thou, O Lord, thro' endless days adored and magnified.
Sheet Music / Arrangements
Choral: https://www.jwpepper.com/crown-him-with-many-crowns-10956327-619188/p (SATB, choir and congregation / Mary McDonald)
Choral: https://www.jwpepper.com/crown-him-with-many-crowns-10363828-281702/p (SATB, choir and congregation / John Behnke)
Piano: https://koertsmusic.com/downloads/crown-him-with-many-crowns-4/ (Early Intermediate)
Piano: https://koertsmusic.com/downloads/crown-him-with-many-crowns-7/ (Intermediate)
Piano: https://koertsmusic.com/downloads/crown-him-with-many-crowns/ (Late Intermediate, free download)
Organ: https://www.jwpepper.com/crown-him-with-many-crowns-11574656-2173250/p (Organ+Brass, Carolyn Hamlin, Richard Nichols)
Organ: https://www.jwpepper.com/organ-hymns-for-lent-and-easter-10640935-393188/p (2-staff, Mark Hayes)
Bible Memory Verse
"His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns." (Revelation 19:12, NIV)
The Story Behind the Hymn
The hymn Crown Him with Many Crowns was written in 1851 by Matthew Bridges, an Anglican minister who later converted to the Roman Catholic Church. Bridges was born in Essex, England in 1800 and pursued literary interests in history and poetry. He was influenced by John Henry Newman and the Oxford Movement, which aimed to reconnect the Anglican tradition with ancient Christian history and liturgy. This led Bridges to convert to Catholicism in 1848.
Bridges wrote the original six stanzas of the hymn after being inspired by the “exaltation and many crowns of Jesus” described in Revelation 19:12. The lyrics reflect on the different roles and honors of Christ, referring to Him as the “Lamb upon His throne” and “Son of God” who wears “many diadems.” Bridges used rich biblical imagery like “eyes are like a flame of fire” directly from Revelation to capture the majesty of Jesus.
In 1868, Anglican priest Godfrey Thring wrote additional verses while serving at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor castle. Born in 1823, Thring spent his life in dedication to the Church of England. As a Protestant minister, he brought a different theological perspective than Bridges’ Catholic lyrics. Thring’s new stanzas broadened the hymn’s vision by focusing on Jesus as the “Lord of life,” “Lord of love,” and “Lord of years” – bringing out more perspectives on Christ’s eternal nature and lordship.
Though the original hymn contained a total of 12 verses, 6 by Bridges and 6 by Thring, most modern hymnals today only include 4 selected verses. These 4 widely used verses – “Crown him with many crowns,” “Crown him the Lord of life,” “Crown him the Lord of love,” and “Crown Him the Lord of heav’n” – provide a condensed but still rich vision of Christ’s lordship and exaltation. The popularity of the hymn led to mixing and reduction of the original 12 verses down to these 4 accessible stanzas that continue to inspire worship and praise in churches today. Though not comprehensive, the shortened version retains the celebratory spirit and vital imagery of the full original work.