TEXTS TUNES AUTHORS HYMNALS

HymnalsPsalter Hymnal408

Authority Text:Rejoice, the Lord is King! — more ↓
Authority Tune:DARWALL — more ↓

Text information
First Line:Rejoice, the Lord is King
Title:Rejoice, the Lord Is King
Author:Charles Wesley (1744, alt.)
Meter:66 66 88
Scripture:Acts 5:31; 1 Corinthians 15:56-57; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Hebrews 1:3; Revelation 1:18; Revelation 19:1-8; Revelation 20:11-15; 1 Peter 1; 1 Thessalonians 4:17; Acts 5; Hebrews 1; Philippians 2:11; Philippians 4:9; Revelation 1; Revelation 19:8; 1 Corinthians 15:57; Romans 10; Revelation 20:15
Topic:Ascension & Reign of Christ; Assurance; Joy; Judge, God/Christ as; King, God/Christ as; Kingdom; Return of Christ
Language:English

Scripture References:
st. 2 = Rev. 1:18
st. 3 = Acts 5:31, Heb. 1:3
st. 4 = 1 Cor. 15:52, 1 Thess. 4:16, Rev. 20:11-15
ref. = Phil. 4:4

Charles Wesley (PHH 267) wrote this text for Easter and Ascension in six stanzas. First published in John Wesley's Moral and Sacred Poems (1744), the text was also published in Charles Wesley's Hymns for our Lord's Resurrection (1746). The original stanzas 2 and 5 are not included.

The text rejoices in the kingship of Christ (st. 1) whose rule extends "o'er earth and heaven" (st. 2). All will bow the knee to Christ (st. 3) when he returns in glory to judge "the living and dead" (st. 4). The refrain line based on Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice,” is the keynote of the entire text.

Liturgical Use:
Ascension; Easter; a great hymn of praise suitable for any worship service (fits well with the royal psalms in the Old Testament); funeral or memorial service.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook

Tune information
Tune name:DARWALL'S 148TH
Composer (desc.):Sydney H. Nicholson, 1875-1947
Composer:John Darwall (1770)
Meter:66 66 88
Key:C Major

Composed by John Darwall (b. Haughton, Staffordshire, England, 1731; d. Walsall, Staffordshire, England, 1789), DARWALL'S 148TH was first published as a setting for Psalrn 148 in Aaron William's New Universal Psalmodist (1770) with only soprano and bass parts. The harmonization dates from the nineteenth century.

The son of a pastor, Darwall attended Manchester Grammar School and Brasenose College, Oxford, England (1752-1756). He became the curate and later the vicar of St. Matthew's Parish Church in Walsall, where he remained until his death. Darwall was a poet and amateur musician. He composed a soprano tune and bass line for each of the 150 psalm versifications in the Tate and Brady New Version of the Psalms of David (l696). In an organ dedication speech in 1773 Darwall advocated singing the "Psalm tunes in quicker time than common [in order that] six verses might be sung in the same space of time that four generally are."

The only Darwall tune still in common use, DARWALL'S 148TH is marked by both its dramatic opening figure (outlining the tonic chord) and by the convincing ascent of, the final line. Sing in unison or in parts at a lively tempo. Try adding trumpets both to the melody as well as to the descant by Sydney H. Nicholson (PHH 358) on stanza 4. ,

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook

Media
Sibelius Scorch score: Sibelius Scorch
Full text
1 Rejoice, the Lord is King! 
Your Lord and King adore. 
Rejoice, give thanks and sing 
and triumph evermore. 
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice. 
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice! 

2 His kingdom cannot fail; 
he rules o'er earth and heaven; 
the keys of death and hell 
to Christ the Lord are given. 
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice. 
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice! 

3 He sits at God's right hand 
till all his foes submit, 
bow down at his command, 
and fall beneath his feet. 
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice. 
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice! 

4 Rejoice in glorious hope; 
for Christ, the Judge, shall come 
to gather all his saints 
to their eternal home. 
We soon shall hear the archangel's voice;
the trump of God shall sound, rejoice!