Jesus Shall Reign Where'er the Sun

Representative Text

1 Jesus shall reign where'er the sun
does its successive journeys run,
his kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
till moons shall wax and wane no more.

2 To him shall endless prayer be made,
and praises throng to crown his head.
His name like sweet perfume shall rise
with every morning sacrifice.

3 People and realms of every tongue
dwell on his love with sweetest song,
and infant voices shall proclaim
their early blessings on his name.

4 Blessings abound where'er he reigns:
the prisoners leap to lose their chains,
the weary find eternal rest,
and all who suffer want are blest.

5 Let every creature rise and bring
the highest honors to our King,
angels descend with songs again,
and earth repeat the loud amen.

Psalter Hymnal, (Gray)

Author: Isaac Watts

Isaac Watts was the son of a schoolmaster, and was born in Southampton, July 17, 1674. He is said to have shown remarkable precocity in childhood, beginning the study of Latin, in his fourth year, and writing respectable verses at the age of seven. At the age of sixteen, he went to London to study in the Academy of the Rev. Thomas Rowe, an Independent minister. In 1698, he became assistant minister of the Independent Church, Berry St., London. In 1702, he became pastor. In 1712, he accepted an invitation to visit Sir Thomas Abney, at his residence of Abney Park, and at Sir Thomas' pressing request, made it his home for the remainder of his life. It was a residence most favourable for his health, and for the prosecution of his literary… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Jesus shall reign where'er the sun
Title: Jesus Shall Reign Where'er the Sun
Author: Isaac Watts (1719)
Meter: 8.8.8.8
Language: English
Notes: Spanish translation: See "Dominará Jesús el Rey" by Thomas M. Westrup
Copyright: Public Domain

English

German

Hungarian

Spanish

Welsh

Notes

Scripture References:
st. 1 = Ps. 72:5, 8, 17
st. 2 = Ps. 72:15
st. 3 = Ps. 72:10-11
st. 4 = Ps. 72:12-14
st. 5 = Ps. 72:19, Rev. 5:11-14

Isaac Watts (PHH 155) based this hymn text on Psalm 72:12-19 and referred to verses 5 and 8 of the psalm as well. (For general comments on this psalm see PHH 72.) Originally in eight stanzas entitled "Christ's Kingdom among the Gentiles," the text was published in Watts' Psalms of David, Imitated (1719). The original stanzas 2, 3, and 7 are omitted, as is customary in modern hymnals.

Watts' text is a strong Christological interpretation of Psalm 72. We sing of the worldwide reign of Christ (st. 1), who is praised by all creatures (st. 2 and 5) , and whose rule results in blessings on people "of every tongue" (st. 3) and redemption for the outcasts (st. 4). The text has a strong missionary focus.

Liturgical Use:
Advent; Epiphany; Ascension; with mission themes; stanza 5 as a doxology; (see also suggestions at PHH 72).

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook

======================

Jesus shall reign where'er the sun. I. Watts. [Foreign Missions.] This is one of the most popular hymns by Watts, and was given in his Psalms of David, 1719, as Pt. ii. of his version of Ps. lxxii., in 8 stanzas of 4 lines. Although it has attained to a high position in modern Hymns, it is rarely found in the collections published before the present cent. It increased in popularity with the growth and development of Foreign Missions, and is now used most extensively in all English-speaking countries. One of the earliest to adopt it for congregational use was Rowland Hill. It is found in his Psalms & Hymns, 1st edition, 1783; but abbreviated to 6 stanzas.

This was followed by some compilers in the Church of England, including Cotterill in Psalms & Hymns, 1810-1820; Bickersteth, 1833, and others; by the Wesleyans in their Supplement, 1830; the Baptists, and other denominations, until at the present day it is given in almost every English hymn-book of any standing or merit. As an example of the way in which The Psalms of David were imitated in the language of the New Testament, by Watts, it is unusually good. It is also in his best style. In modern collections it is generally given in an abbreviated form, ranging from 4 stanzas, as in Hymns Ancient & Modern to 6 stanzas, as in the Wesleyan Hymn Book. Changes are also introduced in the text, but most of these date from the beginning of the present century. It has been rendered in full and in part in many languages, including "Omnibus in terris Dominus rognabit Iesus," by the Rev. R. Bingham, in his Hymnologia Christiana Latina, 1871, p. 103. In this rendering stanzas ii., iii., and vii. are omitted. Mr. G. J. Stevenson gives, in his Methodist Hymn Book Notes, 1883, p. 351, an account of the striking and historical use which was made of this hymn when various islands in the South Seas officially renounced heathenism and embraced Christianity:—

"Perhaps one of the most interesting occasions on which this hymn was used was that on which King George, the sable, of the South Sea Islands, but of blessed memory, gave a new constitution to his people, exchanging a Heathen for a Christian form of government. Under the spreading branches of the banyan trees sat some thousand natives from Tonga, Fiji, and Samoa, on Whitsunday, 1862, assembled for divine worship. Foremost amongst them all sat King George himself. Around him were seated old chiefs and warriors who had shared with him the dangers and fortunes of many a battle; men whose eyes were dim, and whose powerful frames were bowed down with the weight of years. But old and young alike rejoiced together in the joys of that day, their faces most of them radiant with Christian joy, love, and hope. It would be impossible to describe the deep feeling manifested when the solemn service began, by the entire audience singing Dr. Watts's hymn, “Jesus shall reign where'er the sun"... Who so much as they could realize the full meaning of the poet's words? for they had been rescued from the darkness of heathenism and cannibalism, and they were that day met for the first time under a Christian constitution, under a Christian king, and with Christ Himself reigning in the hearts of most of those present. That was indeed Christ's kingdom set up in the earth."

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Tune

DUKE STREET

First published anonymously in Henry Boyd's Select Collection of Psalm and Hymn Tunes (1793), DUKE STREET was credited to John Hatton (b. Warrington, England, c. 1710; d, St. Helen's, Lancaster, England, 1793) in William Dixon's Euphonia (1805). Virtually nothing is known about Hatton, its composer,…

Go to tune page >


Timeline

Media

You have access to this FlexScore.
Download:
Are parts of this score outside of your desired range? Try transposing this FlexScore.
General Settings
Stanza Selection
Voice Selection
Text size:
Music size:
Transpose (Half Steps):
Capo:
Contacting server...
Contacting server...
Questions? Check out the FAQ

A separate copy of this score must be purchased for each choir member. If this score will be projected or included in a bulletin, usage must be reported to a licensing agent (e.g. CCLI, OneLicense, etc).

This is a preview of your FlexScore.
Baptist Hymnal 1991 #587
  • Bulletin Score (PDF)
  • Full Score (PDF)
  • Bulletin Score (melody only) (PDF)
The Cyber Hymnal #3439
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)
Harmonia Americana: containing a concise introduction to the grounds of music; with a variety of airs, suitable fore divine worship and the use of musical societies; consisting of three and four parts #33b
  • PDF (PDF)
  • MusicXML (made with MuseScore) (XML)
Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #412
The United Methodist Hymnal #157
  • Bulletin Score (melody only) (PDF)
  • Bulletin Score (PDF)
  • Full Score (PDF)
Worship and Rejoice #341

Instances

Instances (301 - 400 of 1786)
Page Scan

Coronation Hymns and Songs #111

Page Scan

Coronation Hymns #299

TextPage Scan

CPWI Hymnal #321

Cream of Song #d109

Cross and Crown Hymnal, 3rd ed. #d218

Crown Him King #234

Crowns #d95

Crowns of Glory #d66

Page Scan

Crowns of Rejoicing #195

Crusader Hymns and Hymn Stories #d125

Cumberland Hymns, a Collection of "Whosoever Will" Songs. Centenary ed. #d100

Page Scan

David's Harp #103

Page Scan

David's Harp #298

Page Scan

Devotion and Praise #184

Devotional Hymns #d120

Devotional Hymns #d121

Devotional Hymns #ad121

Devotional Hymns for Church, Revival, Sunday School #d103

Page Scan

Devotional hymns #S68

Page Scan

Dew Drops of Sacred Song #103d

Page Scan

Diadems #264

Page Scan

Die Weckstimme #S3

Die weckstimme. 10 aufl. #d14

Divine Service Book for the Armed Forces #d106

TextPage Scan

Doctor Watts's Imitation of the Psalms of David, corrected and enlarged, to which is added a collection of hymns; the whole applied to the state of the Christian Church in general (2nd ed.) #135

TextPage Scan

Doctor Watts's imitation of the Psalms of David, to which is added a collection of hymns; the whole applied to the state of the Christian Church in general (3rd ed.) #126b

TextPage Scan

Doctor Watts's Imitation of the Psalms of David #135

TextPage Scan

Doctor Watts's Imitation of the Psalms of David #126b

TextPage Scan

Doctor Watts's Imitation of the Psalms of David #LXXIIb

Down at the Cross #d180

TextPage Scan

Dr. Watts's Imitation of the Psalms of David #156

Page Scan

Dyer's Psalmist #406

E. A. C. C. Hymnal #34

Echoes of Eden #d71

Page Scan

Elmhurst Hymnal #273

Page Scan

Eternal Praise #262

Evangel Light #d70

Page Scan

Evangelical Hymnal #468a

Page Scan

Evangelical Hymnal #468b

Evangelical Lutheran Hymn Book with Tunes #d210

TextPage Scan

Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-book #154

TextPage Scan

Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-book #483

TextPage Scan

Evangelical Lutheran Hymnal #164

TextPage Scan

Evangelical Lutheran hymnal #164

TextPage Scan

Evangelical Lutheran Hymnal. 9th ed. #a164

TextPage Scan

Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary #193

Evangelical Lutheran Hymnbook (Lutheran Conference of Missouri and Other States) #d167

TextAudioPage Scan

Evangelical Lutheran Worship #434

Evangelical Musick #d38

Page Scan

Evangelical Musick #128b

Page Scan

Evangelical Musick #141

Page Scan

Evangelical Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs #120

Page Scan

Evangelistic Edition of Heavenly Sunlight #113

Evangelistic Hymns #d94

Evangelistic Hymns No. 2 #d94

Everybody's Hymn Book for Church and Home #d149

Exalt His Name #182

Page Scan

Exalted Praise #119c

Page Scan

Exalted Praise #220

AudioPage Scan

Fair as the Morning. Hymns and Tunes for Praise in the Sunday-School #131

Faith and Hope Hymns #d51

Page Scan

Familiar Hymns for Social Meetings #127

Familiar Hymns, Alphabetically Arranged. #d139

Family Hymns #d130

Page Scan

Famous Gospel Hymns #154

Page Scan

Famous Hymns #154

Page Scan

Famous Hymns #130

Favorite Gospel Songs. New ed. #d88

Favorite Hymns #d59

Page Scan

Favorite Hymns #76

TextPage Scan

Favorite Hymns of Praise #75

Page Scan

Favorite Hymns #143

Page Scan

Favorite Hymns #XV

Fellowship Hymnal, with Worship Material and Services #d71

Page Scan

Fellowship Hymns #257

Fillmores' Missionary Songs for Misionary Societies. Rev. #d40

Foursquare Favorites #d88

Foursquare Hymnal #d174

Foursquare Hymnal of Standard Songs of Evangelism #d109

Foursquare Hymnal of Standard Songs of Evangelism #163

Page Scan

Free Methodist Hymnal #649

Free Will Baptist Hymn Book #d167

Page Scan

Freedom's Lyre #246

Full Gospel Songs #d61

Page Scan

Garnered Gems #P177c

Page Scan

Garnered Sheaves #8

Page Scan

Gates Ajar #151

Text

Gather Comprehensive #482

Gems for the Prayer Meeting #d31

General Baptist Hymn Book #d268

General Collection of Hymns, Original and Selected, for Use of Christians #d164

Gesangbuch fuer Deutsche Sonntagsschulen #d114

Page Scan

Gipsy Smith's Mission Hymnal #CH237

Page Scan

Glad Tidings in Song #128

Page Scan

Gloria Deo #545

Gloria in Excelsis #d339

Gloria in Excelsis #d205

Glorious Gospel Hymns #d290

Page Scan

Glorious Things in Sacred Song #63

Pages

Exclude 1675 pre-1979 instances
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us