Come Thou Almighty King
Hymns and worship songs serve many different roles within the context of both corporate worship gatherings and in the daily lives of believers. Music stirs our emotions. It shapes our thinking. Our musical selections say more than we realize regarding what we hold to be true.
Author and History
Although the writer of this hymn is anonymous, it is often attributed to George Whitfield around the year 1757. It was first sung with the same tune as the British national anthem, “God Save the King” until it was later paired with ITALIAN HYMN by Felice de Giardini.
This hymn has been published in over 1500 hymnals and is considered an interdenominational text and tune.
Worship of The Triune-God
As worship leaders, we must be diligent in addressing all of the aspects of our faith. As expressed in an earlier post, we should “sing the gamut” of God’s attributes. The Trinitarian view of God is an extremely important tenet of our faith. Scripture teaches us that there is one God and He manifests Himself in three distinct persons. These persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are of the same omnipotence and transcendence. (Genesis 1:26, Isaiah 6:8, John 16:12–15)
With this perspective in mind, “Come Thou Almighty King” masterfully connects this concept. The first stanza addresses the “almighty King”. This is in reference to God the Father. The text focuses on God’s might and power. It declares the Christian’s need and desire for the Father to reign over His people.
The second stanza addresses the “incarnate Word” which is synonymous with the Lord Jesus Christ. Incarnate is defined as “embodied in flesh, in human form.”This is in reference to God manifesting Himself as a man in order for our eternal salvation to be secured. The wording “our sure defense be made” foreshadows the security of the believer and eternal life freely given because of the cross.
The third stanza denotes the “holy Comforter” which is associated with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is referred to in John 14:26 as the Helper or the Comforter. God manifested Himself through the working of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, and though He has always been actively involved throughout history (Numbers 11, Judges 3), He now indwells every believer (John 16:7). This stanza is a simple declaration of our adoration for God the Helper.
The final stanza of this hymn shifts the tone from adoration of each member of the Trinity to the Godhead as a whole. The hymn recognizes God’s sovereignty and looks to the future glorification of the saints.
Musical Settings and Observations
In all four verses, the hymn writer is pleading for the Lord to manifest Himself in the lives of the Believer. The text is also looking towards the day of His return. Due to the Trinitarian concept of this hymn, it is imperative that all four stanzas be sung in order for the full meaning of the text to be conveyed. The tune is suitable for the average congregation, but it should be noted that measures 7 through 8 containing melodic movements that spread an octave. Certainly singable, but for an amateur it could require some practice.
Lifeway has written a beautiful arrangement of this hymn with a more contemporary instrumentation that would be suitable for the majority of churches today. The melody is left intact, but the overall tone of the piece feels modern. Lifeway has also provided a wide variety of resources including instrumental parts, lead sheets and multitrack audio.
[1] Come, thou almighty King,
help us thy name to sing;
help us to praise.
Father, all glorious,
o’er all victorious,
come, and reign over us,
Ancient of Days.[2] Come, thou incarnate Word,
gird on thy mighty sword;
scatter thy foes.
Let thine almighty aid
our sure defense be made,
our souls on thee be stayed;
thy wonders show.[3] Come, holy Comforter,
thy sacred witness bear
in this glad hour.
Thou who almighty art,
now rule in every heart,
and ne’er from us depart,
Spirit of power.[4]To thee, great One in Three,
eternal praises be
hence evermore!
Thy sovereign majesty
may we in glory see,
and to eternity
love and adore.
