Saturday, March 24: Crown Him with Many Crowns
When Queen Elizabeth II was crowned, she became Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen of Canada, Granada, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, the Bahamas, etc. for a total of 27 kingdoms. She was crowned using the Imperial Crown that contains jewels representing each of her titles. The Imperial Crown simplifies the historical coronation where the monarch was crowned with many different crowns, each representing a different kingdom or territory. This hymn represents a description of Jesus’s “Imperial Crown”.
Different versions of this hymn include as many as twelve crowns. The most common version used in Lutheran churches references five crowns, “Crown him . . . the Lamb upon the throne” (stanza one) drawn from Revelation 22:1; “Crown him the Virgin’s Son (stanza two); “Crown him the Lord of Love” (stanza three); “Crown Him the Lord of Life” (stanza four); “Crown him the Lord of Heaven” (stanza five).
Each stanza exalts Jesus for a specific aspect; His eternal Kingship, His humanity, His love demonstrated by his suffering, His victorious resurrection and ascension, and His rule over all in heaven.
Other versions include references to Jesus’s rule over infinity (Lord of Years), His peaceful reign (the Lord of Peace), Lord over all earthly lords (Lord of lords), and His divinity (Son of God).
When I hear this hymn, which is commonly used by virtually all Christian Churches both Catholic and Protestant, I am reminded that we are one church with one leader – Jesus.