Featured Hymn: "Thine Is the Glory"

Sat, 04/20/2019 - 08:46 — verhulst

Author: Edmond Budry (1904)

Translator: Richard Birch Hoyle

Tune: JUDAS MACCABEUS

Bulletin Blurb

This hymn perfectly displays the glory and brilliance of Christ’s resurrection. The first stanza discusses the power of the resurrection, the second verse tells Christ’s people to shed their doubt now that Christ has conquered the grave, the third verse tells us to quench our fear now that the Prince of peace reigns. The powerful lyrics and the universally-liked tune no doubt led to the hymns’ enormous popularity.

Worship Notes

Text:

The lyrics for this hymn were written by Edmond Louis Budry in 1904. Budry was a Swiss minister, writer, and translator. The original text was in French, and was first translated into English by Richard Hoyle in 1925. It is believed that part of the inspiration for this hymn came after the death of his first wife. This hymn is inspired Christ’s resurrection and parts of Isaiah 25:8.

“Thine is the Glory” has become a favorite in Great Britain. This hymn is now a standard in the British Royal Family Easter services, is published in the Church of England’s funeral services hymn book, and is an integral part of the Last Night of the Proms concert season. Although fairly young, this hymn is certainly destined to stand the test of time.

Tune:

The tune for this hymn is JUDAS MACCABEUS. The title comes from the oratorio “Judas Maccabeus.” The tune comes from the chorus “See, the conquering hero comes.” When it was first released, the tune exploded in popularity. John Wesley mentioned several times in his Journal that the tune was one of his favorites. In 1796, Beethoven composed twelve variations of the tune for cello and piano. This tune has been paired with several texts, but it is by far most often used with “Thine is the Glory.”

When/Why/How:

This hymn is best used in an Easter morning service, although it is sometimes incorporated into weddings or funerals.

Suggested music for this Hymn: