O Jesus, King most wonderful

Representative Text

1 O Jesus, King most wonderful,
O Majesty renowned,
O Conqueror invincible,
in whom all joys are found.

2 When once you visit darkened hearts,
then truth begins to shine,
then earthly vanity departs,
then kindles love divine.

3 O Jesus, light of all below,
O Fount of life and fire,
surpassing all the joys we know,
all that we can desire,

4 May ev'ry heart confess your name,
forever you adore,
enkindled with the Spirit's flame
to love you more and more.

5 Oh, may our tongues forever bless
and honor you alone,
and may we in our lives express
the image of your own!

Source: Christian Worship: Hymnal #543

Author: Bernard of Clairvaux

Bernard of Clairvaux, saint, abbot, and doctor, fills one of the most conspicuous positions in the history of the middle ages. His father, Tecelin, or Tesselin, a knight of great bravery, was the friend and vassal of the Duke of Burgundy. Bernard was born at his father's castle on the eminence of Les Fontaines, near Dijon, in Burgundy, in 1091. He was educated at Chatillon, where he was distinguished for his studious and meditative habits. The world, it would be thought, would have had overpowering attractions for a youth who, like Bernard, had all the advantages that high birth, great personal beauty, graceful manners, and irresistible influence could give, but, strengthened in the resolve by night visions of his mother (who had died in 1… Go to person page >

Translator: Edward Caswall

Edward Caswall was born in 1814, at Yately, in Hampshire, where his father was a clergyman. In 1832, he went to Brasenose College, Oxford, and in 1836, took a second-class in classics. His humorous work, "The Art of Pluck," was published in 1835; it is still selling at Oxford, having passed through many editions. In 1838, he was ordained Deacon, and in 1839, Priest. He became perpetural Curate of Stratford-sub-Castle in 1840. In 1841, he resigned his incumbency and visited Ireland. In 1847, he joined the Church of Rome. In 1850, he was admitted into the Congregation of the Oratory at Birmingham, where he has since remained. He has published several works in prose and poetry. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A. 1872… Go to person page >

Tune

REDHEAD No. 66


HOLY CROSS (53215)


ST. AGNES (Dykes)

John B. Dykes (PHH 147) composed ST. AGNES for [Jesus the Very Thought of Thee]. Dykes named the tune after a young Roman Christian woman who was martyred in A.D. 304 during the reign of Diocletian. St. Agnes was sentenced to death for refusing to marry a nobleman to whom she said, "I am already eng…

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Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #5026
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)

Instances

Instances (1 - 24 of 24)
Text

Ancient and Modern #749b

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Christian Worship (1993) #373

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Christian Worship #543

Church Gospel Songs and Hymns #163

Church Hymnal, Fifth Edition #106

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Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary #278

Hymns and Psalms #269a

Hymns and Psalms #269b

Living Hymns #99

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Lutheran Service Book #554

TextAudio

Lutheran Worship #274

The Baptist Hymnal #162

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #5026

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Worship and Service Hymnal #116

Text

Rejoice in the Lord #360

Text

Ancient and Modern #749a

The Irish Presbyterian Hymbook #186a

The Irish Presbyterian Hymbook #186b

Hymns for Today's Church (2nd ed.) #484a

Hymns for Today's Church (2nd ed.) #484b

Hymns for Today's Church (2nd ed.) #484c

Praise for the Lord (Expanded Edition) #487

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Common Praise #539

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The New English Hymnal #386

Include 221 pre-1979 instances
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