O Worship the King
“O Worship the King” draws upon the splendor of 19th-century monarchy as a metaphor for the magnificence of the Almighty. Attributes of an earthly monarch are magnified to communicate the characteristics of the King of kings—one who by nature cannot be described.
The hymn is based primarily on the rich imagery of Psalm 104:1-7: “Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty, wrapped in light as with a garment. You stretch out the heavens like a tent, you set the beams of your chambers on the waters, you make the clouds your chariot, you ride on the wings of the wind, you make the winds your messengers, fire and flame your ministers. You set the earth on its foundations so that it shall never be shaken. You cover it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. At your rebuke they flee; at the sound of your thunder they take to flight.”
English Lyrics
1.O worship the King,
All glorious above,
And gratefully sing
His wonderful love;
Our Shield and Defender,
The Ancient of Days,
Pavilion in splendor,
And girded with praise.
2.O tell of His might,
O sing of His grace,
Whose robe is the light,
Whose canopy space!
His chariots of wrath
The deep thunder-clouds form,
And dark is His path
On the wings of the storm.
3.Thy bountiful care
What tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air,
It shines in the light;
It streams form the hills,
It descends to the plane,
And sweetly distills
in the dew and the rain.
4.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!
