"All Hail The Pow'r Of Jesus' Name" Hymn Analysis

[This hymn analysis was written for the Hymns and Christian Tradition class that I am taking at Capital University, where I am seeking a minor degree in religion.]

         NOTES

Hymn: “All Hail the Pow’r Of Jesus’ Name”

Tune Analyzed: CORONATION

Author: Edward Perronett (1721-1792)

Composer: Oliver Holden (1765-1844)

Alternative Tunes: 

                  MILES LANE (William Shrubsole 1760-1806)

                  DIADEM (James Ellro)

                  LAUD (John Bacchus Dykes 1823-1876)

                  LADYWELL (W. H. Ferguson)

                  UNIVERSITY (John Randall)

                  EASTER HYMN

                  ADESTE FIDELES

                  SICILIAN MARINERS

                  BARNBY'S HYMNARY, TUNE 530 (Ferdinand Hiller 1811-????)

                  THE NAME OF JESUS (Craig Courtney)

Topic: Hope, His Name

   LITERARY STRUCTURE

Meter: CM

Poetic Feet: iambic

Rhyme Scheme: ABABAB

Poetic Devices and Figures of Speech:  metaphor, allusion, alliteration

   THOUGHT CONTENT

Scripture:             Psalm 69:21-22 (gall)

                                    1 Chronicles 16:13-18 (O seed of Israel)

                                    Deuteronomy 29:18-19 (wormwood)

                                    Acts 10:36 (Lord of all)

                                    Philippians 2:9-11 (the name of Jesus)

                                    Song of Solomon 3:11 (wedding theme)

                                    Romans 1:17 (justification by faith)

                                    Isaiah 62:3 (diadem, or crown)

Direction: toward people

Summary by Stanza:

                  1.) Crown Jesus because he is king.

                  2.) All descendants of Moses’ people who are now under control of some other force should praise Jesus who saves you from sin and death.

                  3.) Even earthly kings should worship Jesus.

                  4.) Leave your pride at the door.

                  5.) Let everyone on Earth worship him.

                  6.) We will worship him in the future.

   MUSICAL CHARACTARISTICS

Melodic Movement: P4 up, M3 up, M2 down, m2 down, m2 up, P5 up

Range:  C to C

Tessitura:  medium to high

Meter: 4/4

Rhythm: eighth notes, quarter notes, half notes, dotted half notes,

Harmony:  4-part SATB homophonic.  Altos and tenors tend to follow the soprano line in up and down motion.

Suitability of text to tune:  This tune is very fanfare like.  It’s a very “masculine sounding.”  Although the rhythm appears iambic, the main emphases are on beats 1 and 3 because of a pickup measure at the beginning of the song, (“all HAIL the POW’R of JE-sus’ NAME let ANGels PROstrate FALL.)  One can imagine a large group of soldiers or warriors singing this song as a king enters the room.

   USAGE

Appropriate Occasions for Usage: Easter, Christ the King, Ascension

Place in Worship Service: opening hymn

Age Group: teenager and older

Methods of Presentation: Sing each verse in order.

   ANALYSIS OF TEXT

                  Since this hymn has been edited, reedited, and completely reconfigured, it is difficult to analyze this hymn using the verse numbers included in Evangelical Lutheran Worship.  I have compiled a list of verses, which are found in Figure 1.  I have attempted, as best of my abilities, to put some sort of order to the chaos that is this hymn.  Figure 2 lists all the hymnals I have sourced.  Figure 3 is a list of selected hymns, with their verse numbers.

                  Edward Perronet, along with his brother, became Methodist ministers in London in 1746.  They became quite fond of the Wesley brothers as well.  However, Edward Perronet, or as the Wesleys called him, Ned, grew more discontent with the Anglican Church, which angered the Wesleys.  In 1757, he published a book called The Mitre, which was a satire of the Anglican Church  Perronet once said, “I was born and I am likely to die in the tottering communion of the Church of England, but I despise her nonsense,” (Osbeck 24). 

                  A story goes that Perronet went to see John Wesley preach, and during the sermon, Wesley announced that Perronet would be preaching the following morning, without the approval or prior knowledge of Perronet.  Not wanting to create a disturbance, Perronet accepted the offer, and preached the following morning.  He stated that he was fully aware that he was not a good a preacher as Wesley, but he would read “the greatest sermon ever delivered.”  He read from the Sermon on the Mound (Haeussler 237).

                  In Julian’s Dictionary of Hymnology, Julian states that ownership of this hymn has been contested early in its history.  J. Dobel’s 1806 book erroneously credited “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name” to a Reverend John Duncan, a minister in London.  In an essay written by Duncan’s family members, they said,

“Dr. Duncan settled in London…where he probably made the acquaintance of Dobell…When…Dobell was compiling his Selections, Duncan appears to have been among those whom he received advice or help, for Duncan’s name is appended to one of the four ‘Recommendations’... It is more than probable therefore that is was from Duncan that Dobell obtained a copy of “All hail the power.”  The form in which the hymn is given by Dobell is neither Perronet’s nor Rippon’s, but a mixture of both, with two or three slight verbal alterations; and if…Dobell obtained the hymn from Duncan…the arrangement sent to Dobell was really made by Duncan for the use of his own congregation…” (Julian 42)

                    In 1779, Perronet published the first stanza of “All Hail the Pow’r of Jesus’ Name.”  It was again published in 1779, (some sources say April of 1780), with all eight verses (CyberHymnal).  G. Burder republished the hymn, with a slight variation to verse five, and a major overhaul of verse eight, (both versions are printed in Figure 1).  The first stanza of this hymn appeared anonymously in a 1779 issue of “Gospel Magazine,” which was edited by Augustus Toplady, (of “Rock of Ages” fame) (Osbeck 23).  In this stanza, a couple of rare words appear: prostrate, and diadem.  Prostrate, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is the action of, “[stretching] out with face on the ground in adoration or submission.”  Diadem is another word for a crown.  This verse is telling the singer to worship Jesus Christ by bringing him a crown.  John Rippon edited a completed version of this hymn and included it in his book called, Selection of Hymns in 1787, (it should be noted that Rippon did not always recognize the original writers in his publishing. He also altered texts without indicating what he had done [Westermeyer 481]).  The last line of the stanza, “to crown him Lord of all!” was changed to, “and crown him Lord of all!” (Glover 487).  Rippon, who had titles for all of his verses, called this one ANGELS.

                  The second verse is a little awkward.  It’s not commonly found in many hymnals today.  None of the hymnals that I personally own, or have direct access to, include this verse.  In fact, the only place I found it was on the Internet.  A “seraph” is an angel that is usually seen as being with Isaiah when he encounters God in the temple (“What are seraphim? Are seraphs angels?”).  This verse states that when the seraphs tune the lyre, or a stringed instrument, we are to already be falling on our knees to worship Jesus.  The sentence is abruptly stopped half way through it, making this verse a little awkward to sing.  Also, there appears to be a run-on sentence in the third phrase.  “Let highborn seraphs tune the lyre, and as they tune it, fall [rest] Before His face Who tunes their choir...” I would suggest the author smooth out the phrasing in this verse to something like this: “As highborn seraphs tune the lyre, get on your knees and fall / Fall at the one who tunes the choir, and crown Him Lord of all.”  According to Hymnary.org, the first book to have this verse published was The Hartford Selection of Hymns from the Most Approved Authors: to which are added a number never before published (1799)

                  In the hymnal, Hymns and Songs of Praise, edited by Roswell D. Hitchcock, Zachary Eddy, and Phillip Schaff, a verse appears that I haven’t seen in any other hymnals.  It’s verse 3 printed below.  “Crown him, ye morning stars of light / who fixed this floating ball / Now hail the strength of Israel’s might…” The author of Revelation, John, claims Jesus said, “I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”  The term “floating ball” is a metaphor for the planet Earth in space).  This hymn was written during the Enlightenment Period, where people started looking toward outer space and wondering what is out there.

                  The MARTYRS verse, as Rippon calls it, is particularly interesting because it has some very distinct variations to it.  The Hymnal 1940, the hymnal used by the Episcopal Church, changed the third phrase from, “Extol the stem of Jesse’s rod,” to, “Praise him whose way of pain ye trod…” This change was kept in The Hymnal 1982 (Glover 849).  Rippon changed the words “of your God” to “of our God” (Glover 487).  Older hymnals leave the verse unaffected, like the Common Service Book with Hymnal.

                  Rippon titled this verse, CONVERTED JEWS because of the seed of Israel reference.  “O seed of Israel’s chosen race,” is a reference to the “chosen people of Israel,” or the descendants of God’s chosen people, the Christians.  Lutheran theology is seen in this line, “hail him who saves you by his grace…” Other hymnals, like The Hymnal: Army and Navy: include the words, “Ye seed,” instead of “O seed.”  Rippon changed the configuration of the original line, “ye seed of Israel’s chosen race ye ransomed from the fall” to, “ye chosen seed of Israel’s race a remnant weak and small.”  (Glover 487).  Many of the older hymnals, and more traditional denominations, use “ye” instead of “O.”  John Julian, in his book titled, Dictionary of Hymnology, states that G. Burder’s edit of the hymn changed the words to, “Ye souls redeemed of Adam’s race, Ye ransomed from the fall…,” (Julian 41). 

                   One of the more fascinating lines of this whole hymn is in this verse: “The God Incarnate, Man divine…”  Clearly, this verse describes this idea that Jesus was God who took on human flesh.  John 1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him…And the Word became flesh and lived among us…”  In John 5:18, after Jesus was accuse of healing someone on the Sabbath, “…[Jesus also called] God his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God.”  Jesus even explicitly states that he is God in John 8:24.  “I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I AM he.”

                   “Sinners, whose love…” was changed to, “Ye Gentile sinners…” in Rippon’s edit.  This verse is called BELIEVING GENTILES.  As with the hymn, “Go To Dark Gethsemane,” the terms “woodworm” and “gall” appear in this hymn as well.  Woodworm is a curse usually associated with bitterness, while gall is a poisonous herb (Need).  Deuteronomy 29:18 states that we as humans are to, “…make sure there is no root among you that produces such bitter poison.”  This verse reflects this passage by saying we should put our troubles, the wormwood and gall, at the feet of Jesus.  The next line, “go spread your trophies at his feet,” tells us to leave our pride at the front door.  Jesus will take care of our troubles, but it also warns us that Jesus will humble us.

                  Verse eight has several variations: “Let every tribe and every tongue before Him prostrate fall / and shout in universal song…” “Let every tribe and every tongue that bound creation’s call / Now show in universal song…,” (Glover 488), “Oh that, with yonder sacred tongue we at his feet may fall / We’ll join the everlasting song…”  The latter version is printed in the Evangelical Lutheran Worship hymnal as the last verse.  In G. Burder’s second edition of his book, called, Collection, this version of this verse appears: “Let every tribe, and every tongue, throughout this earthly ball / Unite in one harmonious song / and crown Him Lord of all,” (Julian 41).  No matter what version, the substance is the same.  Every person on the earth, no matter the hemisphere, continent, or country, should worship God.  This verse concludes Edward Perronet’s original hymn.

                  Rippon calls his original verse, SINNERS OF EVERY AGE.  In Figure 1, we can see that he means to list people of every age group, toddlers, teenagers, adults, and the elderly.  The “hosts above” is a reference to saints. 

                  The final verse is Rippon’s OURSELVES verse.  This verse tells the singer directly to get fall at Jesus’ feet.  He is telling the singer that all those people are to join “the everlasting hymn.”  In the Evangelical Lutheran Worship, during the liturgy, the presiding minister is to say or sing, “It is indeed our duty and our joy…And so with all the choirs of angels, with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn.” (“Evangelical Lutheran Worship: Leaders Desk Edition”). This is the cue for the congregation to start singing the “Sanctus.”  (“Holy, holy, holy, Lord.  God of power and might….”) Rippon is most likely referring to the “Sanctus” in this verse.

                  I have noticed that phrases one and three don’t necessarily rhyme in some verses. In the text below, verses 1, 7, and 8 don’t rhyme.  In verse 1, the words “name” and “diadem” don’t really rhyme in my Midwestern/Appalachian accent, (I would pronounce them “NAYEEM and “DIE-uh-DEHM”).  In verse 7, the words “forget” and “feet” also don’t rhyme, (“for-GEHT” and “FEET”).  Finally in verse 8, the words “tongue” and “song” don’t rhyme, (“TUHNG” and “SAWNG”).  This hymn is still beautiful, no matter how badly it’s chopped up.

TUNES

                  There are three tunes usually associated with “All Hail the Pow’r Of Jesus’ Name.”  The three tunes are: DIADEM, (James Ellor, 1838), MILES LANE, (William Shrubosole, 1779), and CORONATION, (Oliver Holden, 1793).  The main focus will be the tune CORONATION, since it is the most popular one in America (Westermeyer 482).  The first stanza of “All Hail the Pow’r Of Jesus’ Name” was originally set to MILES LANE when it was published the first time in “Gospel Magazine” in 1779 (Glover 846).  The composer, William Shrubosole, was only nineteen years old at the time, and only had two weeks of musical training at a singing school (Westermeyer 854).  An updated version of the tune was published in Lowell Mason’s The Choir, with the soprano and bass parts being altered (Westermeyer 849).  Currently, the present harmonization in The Hymnal 1982 has not been identified (Glover 857).

                  Oliver Holden published this text with his tune, CORONATION, in his book called, Union Harmony.  Holden mistakenly credited the text as being by a Reverend Mr. Medley (Westermeyer 849).  This is the only tune of Holden’s to survive today (Frank 76).  The tune starts out on the lowest note of the melody.  In Evangelical Lutheran Worship, the tune is set in the key of F.  I can only describe the melody as moving like a wave, going up, down, back up, and back down.  The alto part seems to follow the melody pretty closely, except a few spots where the soprano and alto are separated by an octave, (the word “forth”).  The melody line uses eighth notes on the word “diadem,” while the three other parts use simply quarter notes.  However, in other hymnals, such as The Worship Hymnal, all four parts follow the descending eighth note pattern.  The bass line in The Worship Hymnal is more difficult to sing because it leaps between notes, much more so than Evangelical Lutheran Worship.  For instance, the first and second notes are C and F below the staff.  In Evangelical Lutheran Worship, the F is closer to middle C.  It’s difficult to tell who or when each arrangement was done because neither The Worship Hymnal nor Evangelical Lutheran Worship gives copyright information about arrangement.  John Peterson’s 1968 hymnal, Great Hymn of the Faith, features a very different, and challenging bass line.  The first four notes, in the key of G, are: D, B, G, and a G an octave up.  There are several more octave jumps in this version, making it more difficult in Great Hymns than in Evangelical Lutheran Worship or The Worship Hymnal.

                  Choral composer Craig Courtney wrote a whole new tune for his choral arrangement called, “The Name of Jesus.”  He used the first verse of “All Hail The Pow’r Of Jesus’ Name,” while using verses of another hymn called “How Sweet The Name Of Jesus Sounds” as the verses to the new song.  The result is spectacular, as it seems to have been written as if it were one song.  The choir comes in loud and strong.  Synchronized clapping and hand drum give this song a very militaristic quality. 

                  DIADEM is found in more choral settings (Osbeck 24), and in Methodist and Salvation Army hymnals (Watson 211).  Mark Hayes, another choral composer, took the three main tunes for “All Hail The Pow’r Of Jesus’ Name,” and combined them into one choral piece.  The first verse features DIADEM.  It also utilizes verse five of Perronet’s original hymn, using MILES LANE.  Finally, verse five of Rippon’s edit uses the CORONATION tune.  In a YouTube video during a choral reading session, Mr. Hayes stated that brass and percussion could be used (jwpepper1876).  This piece is very bright and uplifting, with lots of room to change tempos.  There is a fanfare entrance with horns or organ, and then it slows down when the women start singing DIADEM.  Then the men come in and the pace picks up.  The piece grows until both men and women start singing MILES LANE, which slows the song back down to a moderate tempo.  Both verses uses the same style for the “crown hims;” one voice starts, then another, then another, until all the voices are singing together.  Finally, the choir picks up into CORONATION.  This is when the piece really comes alive.  As the sheet music suggests, the choir should be “Stately” here, as if marching into war.

                  “All Hail The Pow’r of Jesus’ Name” has great power.  There’s a story of the Reverend E.P. Scott who was visiting India.  While there, he discovered that the people hadn’t been churched or have heard the gospel of Jesus Christ.  He set out on a trek with his violin, and encountered savage mountain men with spears, ready to kill him.  He pulled out his violin, and softly played two verses of “All Hail The Pow’r of Jesus’ Name,” using the CORONATION tune.  When he played it a third time, he opened his eyes, and he saw all the savage mountain men drop their spears and cry.  Reverend Scott eventually came back to India, and preached the gospel all he could to the mountain men.  He eventually died there (Haeussler 237-238).  This hymn has the power to save the lives in more than one way.  I’m glad and thankful that it helps remind me who I am worshipping: not myself, but Christ. 

Figure 1: Text Comparison: Bold print indicates edits from original.

Click to enlarge.

Figure 2: Source Hymnals

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Figure 3: Selected Hymnals and Order of Verses: Verse numbers correspond with the verses printed in Figure 1.  P = Perronet verse.  R = Rippon original verse. 

Click to enlarge.

   WORKS CITED

"All Hail The Power of Jesus' Name." CyberHymnal. N.p., 18 Jan 2013. Web. 14 Mar 2013.         <http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/h/ahtpojn.htm>.

"All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name › Full Texts." Hymnary.Org. The Hymn Society of the United States and Canada. Web. 14  Mar 2013.
<http://www.hymnary.org/text/all_hail_the_power_of_jesus_name_let/fulltexts>.

"All Hail The Power of Jesus Name." More Than You Can See. Benjamin Karner, 24 Mar 2011. Web. 13 Mar. 2013.

Courtney, Craig. “The Name of Jesus.” 2007.  Columbus: Beckenhorst Press, Inc., 2010.  Print.

Evangelical Lutheran Worship: Leaders Desk Edition. 181. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Press, 2006. Print.

Frank, Albert H. Companion to the Moravian Book of Worship. Winston-Salem, Bethlehem: Moravian Music Foundation, 2004. 76. Print.

Glover, Raymond F. The Hymnal 1982 Companion. 3B. New York: The Church Hymnal Corporation, 1990. 846-857. Print.

Haeussler, Armin. The Story Of Our Hymns. St. Louis: Eden Publishing House, 1952. Print.

Hayes, Mark.  “All Hail the Power.”  2010.  Dayton: The Lorenz Corporation, 2011. Print.

Julian, John. Dictionary of Hymnology. 1. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1985. 41-42. Print.

jwpepper1876, . All Hail The Power. 2011. Video. YouTubeWeb. 15 Mar 2013.

"Let saints on earth their anthems raise." Hymnary.org. The Hymn Society of the United States and Canada. Web. 15 Mar 2013. <http://www.hymnary.org/text/let_sai

Need, Ovid. "Wormwood and Gall - Deut. 29:18,19 ." Biblical Examiner. N.p.. Web. 20                 Feb 2013. <http://biblicalexaminer.org/m19911103a.htm>.

Osbeck, Kenneth W. 101 Hymn Stories. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 23-24. Print.

Watson, J.R. An Annotated Anthology of Hymns. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. 210-211. Print.

"What are seraphim? Are seraphs angels?." gotquestions?org. Got Questions Ministries. Web. 14 Mar      2013.

Westermeyer, Paul. Hymnal Companion To Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Press, 2006. 481. Print.