LSB 549
2 Crown Him, ye martyrs of our God
Who from His altar call;
Extol the Stem of Jesse’s rod
And crown Him Lord of all.
Extol the Stem of Jesse’s rod
And crown Him Lord of all.
3 Ye seed of Israel’s chosen race,
Ye ransomed from the fall,
Hail Him who saves you by His grace
And crown Him Lord of all.
Hail Him who saves you by His grace
And crown Him Lord of all.
Verse 2: “Extol the Stem of Jesse’s Rod, And crown Him Lord of All”
This line comes from the Prophet Isaiah, Chapter 11, Verse 1: Seven hundred years before Jesus was born, Isaiah prophesied that, at a future time, when Israel was in a most forlorn condition, like a tree cut down with nothing left but a stump, the Savior would be born of the royal house of David. Isaiah mentions Jesse, David’s father, instead of David, to show that at the time of Christ’s birth the royal family was not prominent at all, since Jesse was not a famous person, like David.
Verse 8: “Let every kindred, every tribe, on this terrestrial ball, to Him all majesty ascribe, and crown Him Lord of all.”
In modern English, here’s what this line means:
Every kindred every tribe simply means, ” all people, everywhere–all nations on earth. “Terrestrial” means “the earth,” and “ball” means “the globe.” “Terrestrial ball” means, “our round earth.” “On this terrestrial ball” means, simply, “on the earth, or the world.”
This line from the hymn says that all people, everywhere on the earth, should crown Jesus Lord of all. Of course, it wouldn’t rhyme if we said it in modern English!
Dr. Arnold Burron is Professor emeritus of University of Northern Colorado. He is the author of the books: “Irresistible You: Attracting and capturing an Outstanding Man,” “One Man to Beat,” “Classrooms in in Crisis; Parents’ Rights and the Public School,” “Christ in the Classroom, the Christian Teacher and the Public School,” “Guaranteed Steps to Managing Stress”: a Christian Approach” “Teaching Reading for the Twenty First Century.”
Christian News 