Our hymn today was first published anonymously as a poem of 8 stanzas entitled “The Lord Is King”, in 1870. Later it was discovered that Edward Perronet was the author. The poem has been revised many times over the years until it is now known as our Hymn, “All Hail the Power of Jesus Name”.
Edward was of French descent and was the son of a clergyman of the Church of England. Born in 1726, he was educated for the Pastoral Ministry, like his father. Not being in harmony with many of the established practices of the Church of England, he favoured the doctrines and methods of the Wesley brothers…the Methodists. He became the pastor of a small independent church in Canterbury, where he died in 1792 and was laid to rest in the famous Canterbury Cathedral.
The original tune was composed by a friend of Edward’s, William Shrubsole who was the organist at Miles Lane Chapel. However, the tune for the hymn used today is called “Coronation” and was composed by Oliver Holden in the year Edward died. This is certainly a majestic hymn of worship!