The tomb Jesus was laid was empty, and He was not there! The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cardinal doctrine of all biblical doctrines. If Jesus suffered and died but did not rise up again from the dead, He is not our Saviour, and we do not have any hope of resurrection and eternal life. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; ² By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. ³ For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; ⁴ And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

Matthew Bridges and Godfrey Thring wrote the lyrics of the hymn, Crown Him with Many Crowns in 1851 and 1868. Both Bridges and Thring were Anglican ministers, but Bridges went over to Catholicism in 1848. Originally, Bridges wrote 6 stanzas in 1851, and later Thring wrote an additional 6 more stanzas, by which as a Protestant minister, Thring brought a different theological perspective than Bridges’ Catholic lyrics. Thring’s additional stanzas broadened and deepened the thoughts of Christ by focusing on Jesus as the “Lord of life,” “Lord of love,” and “Lord of years.” He brought out more perspectives on Christ’s eternal nature and lordship. This hymn is to honour and glorify the Lord by claiming that His glory is infinite. Therefore, though a crown represents glory and authority, the glory of God cannot be properly represented by one crown, they thought. Thus, they wrote, “crown Him with many crowns.” 

The lyrics of this hymn capture many facets of the Lord’s majesty that lead us to worship Him. By singing this hymn, we proclaim the wonder of who Christ is and what He has done. Our hearts must be stirred up to offer Him every crown we can think of. Out of a total of 12 verses, most modern hymns include only 4 selected verses. Our hymnals include “Crown Him with many crowns, “Crown Him the Son of God,” “Crown Him the Lord of love,” “Crown Him the Lord of life,” and “Crown Him the Lord of years.” 

The lyrics of Crown Him with Many Crowns touch on six different crowns that represent various aspects of who Christ is and what He has done:

1. The Crown of the Lamb Upon the Throne: “Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne, Hark! How the heav’nly anthem drowns all music but its own! Awake, my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee, And hail Him as thy matchless King thro’ all eternity.” Christ is the Lamb of God exalted upon the throne in heaven, worthy of eternal praise. Revelation 5:6, “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.”

2. The Crown of the Son of God and Son of Man: “Crown Him the Son of God Before the world began, And ye, who tread where He hath trod, Crown Him the Son of man; Who every grief hath known That wrings the human breast, And takes and bears them for His own, That all in Him may rest.” Christ is God-man. John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” Christ is God on high, but He dwelt in the flesh.

3. The Crown of Love: “Crown Him the Lord of love: behold His hands and side, Rich wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified. No angel in the sky can fully bear that sight, But downward bends his wond’ring eye at mysteries so bright.” God is love, and His love for sinners is well displayed through Christ’s sacrificial death. The third stanza specifies the grief. Jesus suffered to death to redeem sinners from the grave. Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

4. The Crown of Life: “Crown Him the Lord of life! Who triumphed o’er the grave, Who rose victorious in the strife for those He came to save. His glories now we sing, who died and rose on high, Who died eternal life to bring and lives that death may die.” Christ, the Lord of life, not only died but also rose again from the death. Thus, He is able to lead His people to eternal kingdom. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15;55, “Oh, death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” John 11:25-26, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: ²⁶ And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

5. The Crown of Peace: “Crown Him the Lord of Peace, Whose power a scepter sways From pole to pole, that wars may cease, Absorbed in prayer and praise; His reign shall know no end, And round His blessed feet Fair flowers of paradise extend Their fragrance ever sweet.” Christ is the Prince of Peace. He reconciled us with God. Ephesians 2:14, “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.” 

6. The Crown of Heaven: “Crown Him the Lord of heav’n! One with the Father known, One with the Spirit thro’ Him giv’n from yonder glorious throne. To Thee be endless praise, for Thou for us hast died. Be Thou, O Lord, thro’ endless days adored and magnified!” Christ ascended into heaven, which is His dwelling place. John 14:2-3, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

There are some more verses as follows:

(1) Crown him the Lord of years! The Potentate of time, -- Creator of the rolling spheres, Ineffably sublime! Glassed in a sea of light, Where everlasting waves, Reflect his throne,--the Infinite! Who lives,--and loves--and saves.

(2) Crown him with crowns of gold, All nations great and small, Crown him, ye martyred saints of old, The Lamb once slain for all; The Lamb once slain for them Who bring their praises now, As jewels for the diadem That girds his sacred brow.

(3) Crown him the Son of God Before the worlds began, And ye, who tread where He hath trod, Crown him the Son of Man; Who every grief hath known That wrings the human breast, And takes and bears them for His own, That all in him may rest.

(4) Crown him the Lord of light, Who o'er a darkened world, In robes of glory infinite, His fiery flag unfurled. And bore it raised on high, In heaven--in earth—beneath, To all the sign of victory, O'er Satan, sin, and death.

(5) Crown him of lords the Lord, Who over all doth reign, Who once on earth, the incarnate Word, For ransomed sinners slain, Now lives in realms of light, Where saints with angels sing, Their songs before him day and night, Their God, Redeemer, king.

(6) Crown him the Lord of heaven, Enthroned in worlds above; Crown him the king, to whom is given, The wondrous name of Love, Crown him with many crowns, As thrones before him fall. Crown him, ye kings, with many crowns, For He is King of all.

Amen!

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