The story behind the hymn
Edward Perronet was a friend and co-worker of the Wesleys, from a family of Huguenot refugees. He published this hymn anonymously in 1780; its command — bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all — has been obeyed by congregations ever since, stanza after stanza calling different ranks of creation to the coronation.
The hymn works like a great procession summoning everyone in turn: angels prostrate falling, the chosen seed of Israel's race, sinners saved by grace ('ye ransomed from the fall'), and finally every kindred, every tribe on this terrestrial ball. No one is left off the guest list; all are commanded to crown Him.
There is a famous missionary story: E. P. Scott, facing a hostile tribe with drawn spears, closed his eyes and sang this hymn — and when he opened them, the weapons had dropped and the men stood weeping. The last stanza folds the singer into the eternal chorus: we'll join the everlasting song, and crown Him Lord of all.
The lyrics
All hail the power of Jesus' name!Let angels prostrate fall;Bring forth the royal diadem,And crown Him Lord of all.
Ye chosen seed of Israel's race,Ye ransomed from the fall,Hail Him who saves you by His grace,And crown Him Lord of all.
Let every kindred, every tribe,On this terrestrial ball,To Him all majesty ascribe,And crown Him Lord of all.
O that with yonder sacred throngWe at His feet may fall!We'll join the everlasting song,And crown Him Lord of all.
Public domain. Free to sing, copy, print, and share.
The Scripture behind it
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
A name above every name — the power the hymn hails.
And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
Ten thousand times ten thousand — the sacred throng the last stanza longs to join.