Almighty King, whose wondrous hand

Author: William Cowper

Cowper, William, the poet. The leading events in the life of Cowper are: born in his father's rectory, Berkhampstead, Nov. 26, 1731; educated at Westminster; called to the Bar, 1754; madness, 1763; residence at Huntingdon, 1765; removal to Olney, 1768; to Weston, 1786 ; to East Dereham, 1795; death there, April 25,1800. The simple life of Cowper, marked chiefly by its innocent recreations and tender friendships, was in reality a tragedy. His mother, whom he commemorated in the exquisite M Lines on her picture," a vivid delineation of his childhood, written in his 60th year, died when he was six years old. At his first school he was profoundly wretched, but happier at Westminster; excelling at cricket and football, and numbering Warren Hast… Go to person page >

Almighty King, whose wondrous hand. W. Cowper. [Grace and Providence.] No. 81, Bk. iii., of the Olney Hymns, 1779, in 5 stanzas of 4 lines, and entitled "Grace and Providence." It has not attained to the position of many of Cowper's hymns, and is found in a few collections only, including Martineau's Hymns, &c, 1840 and 1873.

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)