O Worship the King

All glorious above.

O Worship the King, first published in 1833 was written by onetime Member of British Parliament, and a Director of the East India Company; Sir Robert Grant (1779-1838). It is set to the tune, Hanover by English composer and organist William Croft (1678–1727). In the Liturgy of the Hours, O Worship the King All Glorious Above is used during Ordinary Time for Evening Prayer.



O WORSHIP THE KING by Robert Grant, 1833 (Public Domain)

1. O worship the king, All glorious above;
Oh gratefully sing his power and his love;
Our shield and defender, the ancient of days,
Pavilioned in splendour, And girded with praise.

2. O, tell of his might Oh, sing of His grace;
Whose robe is the light, Whose canopy space;
His chariots of wrath form The deep thunderclouds
And dark is his path On the wings of the storm.

3. This earth with its store Of wonders untold,
Almighty! Thy power hath founded of old;
Hath stablished it fast by a changeless decree,
And round it hath cast, like a mantle, the sea

4. Thy bountiful care what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air, It shines in the light;
It streams from the hills, It descends to the plain,
And sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.

5. Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
In thee do we trust, nor find thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end,
Our maker, defender, redeemer and friend.

6. O measureless might, ineffable Love,
While angels delight to hymn thee above,
The humbler creation, Though feeble their lays,
With true adoration shall sing to thy praise.