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Facts:
- Lyricist: Henry F. Lyte
Lyrics Date: 1834
Key: D
Theme: God's love and grace; Adoration and praise
Devotional:
Have you ever witnessed a person at church, yawning and rubbing their eyes while the music plays? Maybe you've noticed someone singing with little emotion, a distant look in their eyes. Maybe you-ve even struggled yourself-feeling the pressures of the day tug at your mind while you-re trying to focus on God.
Truth is, we've all been guilty of half-hearted worship many times. Future plans, unexpected problems, weary bodies-all can distract us from worship. And with so many things dive...
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Have you ever witnessed a person at church, yawning and rubbing their eyes while the music plays? Maybe you've noticed someone singing with little emotion, a distant look in their eyes. Maybe you-ve even struggled yourself-feeling the pressures of the day tug at your mind while you-re trying to focus on God.
Truth is, we've all been guilty of half-hearted worship many times. Future plans, unexpected problems, weary bodies-all can distract us from worship. And with so many things diverting our attention, it's difficult to offer sincere worship to God.
This week's hymn, which echoes the words of Psalm 103, calls us to something greater than this distracted and half-hearted worship. We're called to praise God with all we have-right down to our soul. Yet how can we really do that? How can we get rid of all the distractions and praise God with all our heart?
"Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven" responds to the question by example. The hymn's beautiful words take our eyes off the world and direct them exclusively on God-the One who has "ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven," who is "slow to chide, and swift to bless," and who "gently bears us, rescues us from all our foes."
Next time you want to offer sincere worship, take a moment to reflect on the words of this hymn. Set your heart on God's amazing grace and provision. Think about all the ways he's personally touched your life. As you do, you'll find worldly worries replaced with something infinitely better-a soul-deep desire to offer God praise.
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Hymn Story:
Henry Francis Lyte wrote "Praise, My Soul, The King of Heaven" for his congregation at Lower Brixham in Devon, England. The hymn was first published in 1834, among a collection of three hundred hymns entitled "Spirit of the Psalms."
Unlike translations of the Psalms-commonly used in Psalters of that time-or paraphrases like those written by Isaac Watts, "Spirit of the Psalms" contained hymns that were simply inspired by the Psalms. A part of this collection, "Praise, My Soul, The Ki...
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Henry Francis Lyte wrote "Praise, My Soul, The King of Heaven" for his congregation at Lower Brixham in Devon, England. The hymn was first published in 1834, among a collection of three hundred hymns entitled "Spirit of the Psalms."
Unlike translations of the Psalms-commonly used in Psalters of that time-or paraphrases like those written by Isaac Watts, "Spirit of the Psalms" contained hymns that were simply inspired by the Psalms. A part of this collection, "Praise, My Soul, The King of Heaven" captured the "spirit" of Psalm 103.
In the hymn, Lyte succinctly states each of the psalm's points: "Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies" (v. 3-4) become "ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven." And enlarging on the palmist's declaration that God is slow to anger and will not always chide (v. 8-9), Lyte declares, "Slow to chide and swift to bless."
In his refrain, Lyte picked up on the primary theme of the Psalm: "Praise Him, praise him." Today, some hymnals have changed these words to "Alleluia!" But either refrain fittingly calls us to join with all creation in praise of the King.
Queen Elizabeth II chose this hymn to be sung as the processional at her wedding. Interestingly, this was on November 20, 1947, exactly one hundred years after the death of Henry Francis Lyte.