Title: Come Thou almighty King
Hymn Number: SS&S 6 (Sacred songs and solo)
1. Come Thou almighty King,
Help us Thy name to sing,
Help us to praise :
Father all-glorious,
O’er all victorious,
Come, and reign over us,
Ancient of Days !
2 Come, Thou incarnate Word,
Gird on Thy mighty sword ;
Our prayer attend :
Come, and Thy people bless,
And giveThy Word success :
Spirit of holiness,
On us descend !
3 Come, Holy Comforter,
Thy sacred witness bear,
In this glad hour :
Thou, who almighty art,
Now rule in every heart,
And ne’er from us depart,
Spirit of power !
4 To the great One in Three
The highest praises be,
Hence evermore !
His sovereign majesty
May we in glory see,
And to eternity
Love and adore.
About the hymn
The hymn Come, Thou Almighty King, frequently included in collections like Sacred Songs and Solos, is a fervent call for God’s presence and guidance in worship. Believed to have been written in the mid-18th century by an unknown author, it is often attributed to Charles Wesley. The hymn is a prayer to the Holy Trinity, invoking God the Father, Jesus Christ the King, and the Holy Spirit, each in their unique roles within the divine mission. With themes of praise, prayer, and the invitation for God’s rule, the hymn serves as both a doxology and a call for divine intervention and blessing.
Verse 1: Invocation of God the Father as King
The first verse begins by calling upon God the Father, the “Almighty King,” to come and help His people worship. The hymn opens with a heartfelt plea for God to come and “help us Thy name to sing,” a recognition that, without divine help, human efforts to worship fall short. God is addressed as the “Almighty,” emphasizing His supreme power and sovereignty, and as “King,” recognizing His rightful place over all creation and His people.
The plea for God to “help us to praise” shows dependence on Him even in worship, acknowledging that true adoration requires His presence. It’s an invitation for God to inhabit the praises of His people, to make their worship genuine and powerful. In calling for His “love and power” to attend the worship, there’s an underlying desire not only for God’s presence but for an experience of His character—His love to comfort and His power to transform.
Verse 2: Praise and Petition to the Incarnate Word, Jesus Christ
The second verse shifts to Christ, the “Incarnate Word” who took on human form to bring salvation. This reference to Jesus as the “Incarnate Word” directly connects with the opening of the Gospel of John, where Christ is identified as the Word made flesh. By invoking Christ’s name, the hymn highlights His dual nature as both God and man and His role in the salvation of humanity.
The verse asks for Christ to come with “holy comfort” and “mighty aid,” praying for His guidance and protection. This echoes biblical promises of Jesus as a shepherd and a comforter who brings peace to His followers (John 14:27). There is an acknowledgment of Jesus’s redemptive work, with the phrase “come and Thy people bless,” calling for the blessings of grace, forgiveness, and spiritual nourishment that Christ provides.
The phrase “Spirit of holiness” is included here as an acknowledgment of Christ’s purity and sanctity, showing reverence for His divine nature. This verse, therefore, not only exalts Jesus as the King who came to save but also as the One who empowers and blesses believers, equipping them for a life of holiness.
Verse 3: The Holy Spirit’s Comfort and Guidance
The third verse addresses the Holy Spirit, asking Him to descend in power. The Spirit is called the “Holy Comforter,” a title drawn from Jesus’s description of the Spirit as the Comforter who would come after Him (John 14:16). This verse calls upon the Spirit to “Thy sacred witness bear,” asking Him to testify to God’s truth and presence within the hearts of believers, as He does by convicting and guiding them.
The prayer here is for the Spirit’s power to be evident in the church, requesting His “mighty power” to “rule in every heart.” This line echoes the role of the Holy Spirit in sanctification, working within each believer to conform them to the image of Christ. There is a plea for the Spirit’s influence to spread, not just individually but within the community of faith, empowering believers to live out their calling.
The Holy Spirit’s role as “Comforter” is emphasized, reminding believers that He is present to provide peace and assurance in times of trouble. The prayer for “power” and “peace” reflects the Spirit’s dual work of both strengthening believers and providing them with inner calm. Together, these qualities enable Christians to remain steadfast in faith and witness.
Verse 4: The Triune God’s Eternal Praise
The final verse brings together the three Persons of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—in a grand doxology of praise. The hymn declares, “To Thee, great One in Three,” acknowledging the unity and mystery of the Trinity. By affirming God as “One in Three,” the hymn underscores Christian belief in one God existing in three persons, a core tenet of Christian doctrine.
This verse anticipates the eternal praise that God deserves, envisioning a time when all creation will be gathered to honor Him. The hymn proclaims “eternal praises be” to the Trinity, expressing the belief that God is worthy of praise not only in this life but forever. This phrase conveys the eternal nature of God and the never-ending adoration due to Him, uniting the worshippers with saints across time in a shared song of praise.
The closing lines request that God’s reign be established “evermore,” expressing the desire for His kingdom to be fully realized both in the present world and in the world to come. The call for “sovereign majesty” to reign forever serves as a vision of hope, looking forward to the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises and His eternal kingdom, where His glory will be fully revealed.
Overall Message and Significance
“Come, Thou Almighty King” is a hymn of invocation, reverence, and anticipation, centered on the worship of the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each verse corresponds to a Person of the Trinity, highlighting their unique roles in the divine work of creation, salvation, and sanctification. The hymn is a prayer for God’s presence, guidance, and blessing, expressing a deep reliance on God’s power in worship and life.
This hymn also reflects the themes of unity, community, and mission. In its call for God’s rule to be established and His power to be made manifest, the hymn is both a prayer for the individual believer and a corporate prayer for the church. It calls for God’s love, holiness, and strength to be active in the lives of His people, asking that His presence be felt tangibly among them.
The repetitive invitation for God to “come” reveals a longing for a closer experience of His presence. This yearning for God’s nearness, guidance, and rule speaks to the heart of worship—where believers seek communion with the Almighty, surrendering their lives to His sovereignty and opening themselves to His transformative power.
With its combination of reverence, petition, and triumphant praise, Come, Thou Almighty King has become a beloved hymn for various settings in Christian worship, including services focused on the Trinity, the power of God, or the mission of the church. It remains a timeless song of faith, uniting believers in the shared hope of God’s eternal rule and the fulfillment of His promises.