Crown Him with Many Crowns
Text by Matthew Bridges (1851) and Godfrey Thring (1874). Music by George Elvey (1868). Public domain in all jurisdictions.
Verse 1
DCrown Him with Amany Dcrowns, the GLamb upDon His Athrone
DHark! how the Aheav'n-ly Dan-them Gdrowns all Dmu-sic Abut its Down
ADwake, my Gsoul, and Dsing of AHim who E7died for Athee
And Dhail Him D/F#as thy Gmatch-less DKing through Aall e-Dter-ni-Aty
Verse 2
DCrown Him the ALord of Dlife, who Gtri-umphed Do'er the Agrave
DAnd rose vicAto-rious Din the Gstrife for Dthose He Acame to Dsave
His Dglo-ries Gnow we Dsing, who Adied and E7rose on Ahigh
Who Ddied e-D/F#ter-nal Glife to Dbring and Alives that Ddeath may Adie
Verse 3
DCrown Him the ALord of Dheav'n, one Gwith the DFa-ther Aknown
DOne with the ASpi-rit Dthrough Him Ggiv'n from Dyon-der Aglo-rious Dthrone
To DThee be Gend-less Dpraise, for AThou for E7us hast Adied
Be DThou, O D/F#Lord, through Gend-less Ddays a-Adored and Dmag-ni-Afied
Verse 4
DCrown Him the ALord of Dlords, who Go-ver Dall doth Areign
DWho once on Aearth, the Din-car-nate GWord, for Dran-somed Asin-ners Dslain
Now Dlives in Grealm-s of Dlight, where Aan-gels E7sing His Apraise
All Dhail, Re-D/F#deem-er, Ghail! for DThou hast Adied for Dme
Structure
Playing Tips
🎸 Strum Pattern — Verse
Crown Him with Many Crowns has a stately, processional feel. We strum on every beat with a firm downstroke, keeping the rhythm even and forward-moving. Avoid syncopation here. The dignity of the text is matched by a steady, unhurried pulse that feels like a royal procession.
🔊 Dynamics
We open this hymn at full strength. It is an anthem of Christ's kingship and it deserves a bold entrance. Start the first verse with the full band and maintain that energy throughout. The four verses build in meaning, so let each one carry weight without pulling back.
🎵 Band Direction
This hymn sounds best with a full band arrangement. Piano leading the texture, guitar strumming full chords, bass walking solidly, and drums with a steady march feel. The D/F# and G movements in the chord chart are natural landing points for bass fills between phrases.
🎤 Vocal
Key of D works well for mixed congregations. The melody sits in a comfortable mid-range. If you have a strong female lead, consider trying the key of E, which adds brightness to the crown imagery in the text. Unison singing works best here before splitting to harmonies on the final verse.
→ Transitions
We keep the transitions between verses tight and connected. There is no chorus, so the verses flow directly into each other. A short four-bar tag or instrumental repeat of the last phrase between verses 2 and 3 can work well if you want to give the congregation a moment before the final two verses.