O worship the King

This most colourful of Psalms, structured around Gen 1 and further enlarging on the glories of Genesis 1 and as rich in nature as its predecessor is in grace, begins and ends in the same way, thereby matching the 103rd. Kidner says ‘In the galaxy of the Psalter these are twin stars of the first magnitude’; though this one lacks the Davidic (or any other) ascription, they clearly stand in Scripture side by side as a pair. 207 is a more impressionist contemporary treatment of some of the themes celebrated here. Though other fine versions were available (the Penguin selection has 6—see note to 102), Robert Grant’s noble rendering, in ‘romantic’ style in literary terms, would have been included among the hymns in any case and was thought proper to be seen as a Psalm. J R Watson speaks of its ‘chivalric grandeur’; Routley commends its grace, beauty, energy and dignity, based as it is on a Psalm ‘of ecstatic innocence and exotic splendour’; C S Lewis enthused over the ‘gusto for nature’ found in the original—now finely conveyed here. In 1994 Wayne Grudem wrote: ‘Almost the entire hymnbook could be used to sing of one aspect or another of God’s character…Yet this hymn contains a listing of many of God’s attributes and combines them in such a way that the hymn is worthy of being sung again and again’ (Systematic Theology p210). The concepts of redemption, ransom (cf Romans 8:21), and ‘infinite Love’ are more fully realised in the NT while ‘Ancient of days’ is a bold borrowing from Daniel 7. The text shows marks of development; William Kethe (cf 100A, note) had written My soule, praise the Lord, speak good of his name, which formed the basis of Grant’s version. This was first published in Bickersteth’s Christian Psalmody of 1833, the year before Grant returned to India as Governor of Bombay. Apart from the use of ‘your/you’ for ‘thy/thee’, the present editors have changed only the final stz, where ‘ineffable’ and ‘feeble … lays’ are replaced. It is hard to resist a glance back to Henry Vaughan, whose 1655 version Up, O my soul, and bless the Lord includes lines such as ‘chambers of rain, where Heav’n’s large bottles lie’ (from v13, cf Job 38:37 AV) and ‘the comely spacious Whale’ (v26). The tune HANOVER also has an involved history. The melody and most of the bass line come anonymously in the Supplement to the New Version of the Psalms by Dr Brady and Mr Tate (6th edn 1708), and linked with Psalms 57 and 149 as well as 104. Its name is found in 1730, from the former home of G F Handel to whom it was often ascribed; but its more likely composer is William Croft, in London. It hasthe Wesleys knew it as BROMSWICK ‘after the reigning house of Brunswick’ – Valerie Ruddle. In 1861 A&M helped to secure its present name as the first choice. had at least 10 other names which have now fallen into disuse;

b Bengal, India 1779, d Dalpoorie, W India 1838. Coming to England in 1790, after further schooling he entered Magdalene Coll Cambridge (classics), where together with his brother Charles (later Colonial Sec) he was a prizewinning student. Called to the Bar 1807, MP for the Elgin Burghs in 1926, presenting a Bill for Jewish Emancipation 1833 and subsequently representing Inverness and (by way of contrast) Norwich and Finsbury, Middx. He became a Privy Councillor in 1831, Advocate General a year later, and in 1834, when he was knighted, Governor of Bombay. His hymns, commended in Julian for their graceful versification and tender feeling, were published 1806–1815 in the Christian Observer over pseudonymous initials, in Elliott’s Psalms and Hymns (1835), and (posthumously) Sacred Poems, 1839. ‘A hymn-writer of great merit’, says Julian. No.104.