Round the Sphere Again

Hymns of the season

Crown Him With Many Crowns
On the origins of this great hymn from Mark Roberts.

[T]he author of this hymn, Matthew Bridges, wrote six original stanzas in 1851. But then, in 1874, Godfrey Thring wrote another version of the hymn, with six new stanzas. Thring, it seems, was concerned that some of Bridges’ lyrics were too Catholic. In time, the versions were mingled, with different hymnals producing different hybrid versions.

Mark Roberts has also written a new verse for this hymn because “all of these verses miss what seems to me one of the most obvious and essential elements of a hymn that celebrates the many crowns of Christ.”

Behold the Lamb
From Getty Music, a free download of the the sheet music for The Communion Hymn. “We hope this is useful for your Holy week services of indeed any communion services.”

Stricken, Smitten and Afflicted
Hymn by Thomas Kelly, presented by Thomas G. Clay