Hymn of the Month -- Worship Hymns

Check it out.  Most hymnals  begin with a worship section, songs of adoration and praise to God.  Look, for example, at the words of the first and last verses of O Worship the King, based on Psalm 104 and written in 1833 by Robert H Grant. They lift our eyes to God and raise us outside ourselves:

O worship the King, all glorious above;
O gratefully sing his power and his love;
Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days,
Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.

Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end!
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.

(Click here to listen to the hymn.)

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In 1738, while Charles Wesley was studying under the Moravians in England, he found himself seriously doubting his faith. Laid up from pleurisy, he was visited by a group of Christians who shared testimonies with him and cared for his needs. Deeply touched by their visit, he turned to the Bible where his faith was renewed. A year later, in celebration of his faith, he wrote an 18-verse poem. Part of this poem included the verses of the song we now know as O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing. Here are the words to the verses 1, 2, and 6. Is this not the song of a man longing to express to God the praise due His name and inviting others to join him?  (Information found on Wikipedia)

O for a thousand tongues to sing My great Redeemer's praise,
The glories of my God and King, The triumphs of His grace!

My gracious Master and my God, Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad The honors of Thy name.

Hear Him, ye deaf, His praise, ye dumb, Your loosened tongues employ;
Ye blind, behold your Saviour come, And leap, ye lame, for joy.

(Hear it here.)

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Another hymn that often appears in the earliest pages of hymnals is All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name, written by Edward Perronet in 1779. According to Hymn Stories website, "the music sounds particularly beautiful when played by a violin. One of the more famous stories surrounding All Hail The Power Of Jesus’ Name involves the use of a violin.

"A missionary to India named E. P. Scott learned of a wild mountain tribe that had never been introduced to the message of Christ. Since they had never been presented with the gospel, he decided to visit that tribe. When he reached their mountain home, he discovered a group of savages on a war expedition. They took him back to camp and threatened to kill him. He closed his eyes and starting playing All Hail The Power Of Jesus’ Name on his ever-present violin. The natives were so overcome; they dropped their spears and invited Rev. Scott to stay with them. He lived among them for over two years, converting many to Christianity."

Rev. Scott's experience makes verse 3 especially meaningful.

All hail the power of Jesus' name! Let angels prostrate fall;

Bring forth the royal diadem, And crown Him Lord of all;

Bring forth the royal diadem, And crown Him Lord of all!

Ye chosen seed of Israel's race, Ye ransomed from the fall,

Hail Him who saves you by His grace, And crown Him Lord of all;

Hail Him who saves you by His grace, And crown Him Lord of all!

Let every kindred, every tribe, On this terrestrial ball,

To Him all majesty ascribe, And crown Him Lord of all.

To Him all majesty ascribe, And crown Him Lord of all.

O that with yonder sacred throng We at His feet may fall!

We'll join the everlasting song, And crown Him Lord of all;

We'll join the everlasting song, And crown Him Lord of all.

(Here is a beautiful rendition of the hymn.)