Rejoice, the Lord Is King!

In honor of Christ the King Sunday, I thought I would print a copy of Charles Wesley's great hymn, Rejoice, the Lord Is King, which we will be singing as our opening, processional hymn.  -  The hymn will be printed as it appears in the Sing to the Lord (Nazarene) hymnal and most other hymnals.  While we (at Centenary UMC) will be singing it as it appears in The United Methodist Hymnal, it seems that they have made strange editorial changes in verses 1 and 4; changes that seem not to make sense.  The predecessor hymnal, The Methodist Hymnal, retains the hymn as appears elsewhere.

It is interesting (and puzzling) to note that this hymn does not seem to appear in volume 7 of The Works of John Wesley: A Collection of Hymns for the Use of The People Called Methodists.  If it had appeared in that volume, light may have been shed as to why the UMC hymnal changed the text.

Nevertheless, here is the hymn!

Rejoice, the Lord Is King

1. Rejoice, the Lord is King! Your Lord and King adore!

Rejoice, give thanks, and sing, And triumph evermore.

Lift up your heart;

Lift up your voice! Rejoice; again I say: rejoice!

2. Jesus, the Savior, reigns, The God of truth and love.

When he had purged our stains, He took His seat above.Lift up your heart;

Lift up your voice! Rejoice; again I say: rejoice!

3. His kingdom cannot fail; He rules o'er earth and heav'n.

The keys of death and hell Are to our Jesus giv'n.

Lift up your heart;

Lift up your voice! Rejoice; again I say: rejoice!

4. Rejoice in glorious hope! Our Lord, the Judge, shall come

And take His servants up To their eternal home.

Lift up your heart;

Lift up your voice! Rejoice; again I say: rejoice!

And so, I say to you, on this Christ the King Sunday, "Rejoice!" as, together with the people of God around the world, you worship Christ the King in the power of the Holy Spirit and to the glory of God the Father!