See, the Conqueror Mounts in Triumph!

Representative Text

1 See, the Conqu'ror mounts in triumph;
see the King in royal state,
riding on the clouds, his chariot,
to his heav'nly palace gate.
Hear the choir of angel voices
joyful alleluias sing,
and the gates on high are opened
to receive their heav'nly King.

2 Who is this that comes in glory,
trumpets sound with jubilee?
Lord of battles, God of armies,
he has gained the victory.
He who on the cross did suffer,
he who from the grave arose,
he has conquered sin and Satan,
he by death has beat his foes.

3 You have raised our human nature
on the clouds to God's right hand;
there we'll sit in heav'nly places,
there with you in glory stand.
Jesus reigns, adored by angels,
man with God is on the throne;
mighty Lord, in your ascension
we by faith behold our own.

Source: Trinity Psalter Hymnal #373

Author: Christopher Wordsworth

Christopher Wordsworth--nephew of the great lake-poet, William Wordsworth--was born in 1807. He was educated at Winchester, and at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A., with high honours, in 1830; M.A. in 1833; D.D. in 1839. He was elected Fellow of his College in 1830, and public orator of the University in 1836; received Priest's Orders in 1835; head master of Harrow School in 1836; Canon of Westminster Abbey in 1844; Hulsean Lecturer at Cambridge in 1847-48; Vicar of Stanford-in-the-Vale, Berks, in 1850; Archdeacon of Westminster, in 1865; Bishop of Lincoln, in 1868. His writings are numerous, and some of them very valuable. Most of his works are in prose. His "Holy Year; or, Hymns for Sundays, Holidays, and other occ… Go to person page >

Notes

Scripture References:
st. 1 = Ps. 24:7
st. 2 = Luke 24:50-51, Acts 1:9
st. 3 = Eph. 2:6, Heb. 1:8, Ps. 68:18

Replete with biblical imagery and allusion, this text by Christopher Wordsworth (PHH 361) was published in his Holy Year (1862) in ten stanzas. John Julian considers "See, the Conqueror" to be one of Wordsworth's finest hymn texts.

The text views the ascending Lord being sung to by angels at heaven's gates (st. 1), recalls Christ's suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension (st. 2), and looks forward to our reign with Christ in glory (st. 3). The text emphasizes not only the event of the Ascension but also its meaning for us: in Christ's ascension, "we by faith can see” our own.

Liturgical Use:
Easter; Ascension; many other worship services.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook, 1988
=======================

See the Conqueror mounts in triumph. Bishop C. Wordsworth, of Lincoln. [Ascension.] First published in his Holy Year, 1862, p. 99, in 10 stanzas of 4 double lines. In the latest editions of the Holy Year it has been divided into two parts, Pt. ii. beginning with st. vi. "Holy Ghost, Illuminator." Usually these two parts are given as separate hymns for congregational use. In addition a cento, beginning with stanza ii., "Who is this that comes in glory?" is given as a hymn. The original is one of Bishop Wordsworth's finest compositions, and is the nearest approach in style and treatment to a Greek Ode known to us in the English language. The amount of Holy Scripture compressed into these 40 lines is wonderful. Prophecy, Types, Historical Facts, Doctrinal Teaching, Extatic Praise, all are here; and the result is one grand rush of holy song.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Tune

REX GLORIAE (Smart)

Henry T. Smart (PHH 233) composed REX GLORIAE for this text; the hymn was published in the 1868 Appendix to Hymns Ancient and Modern. Stanley L. Osborne (PHH 395) suggests that Smart initially intended REX GLORIAE as a tune for children. Derived from the topic of Wordsworth's text, the tune's name m…

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Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #5990
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)
Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #414
  • Bulletin Score (PDF)
  • Bulletin Score (melody only) (PDF)
  • Full Score (PDF, XML)

Instances

Instances (1 - 18 of 18)

The Christian Life Hymnal #199

Hymns of the Christian Life #113

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Complete Anglican Hymns Old and New #591

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CPWI Hymnal #194a

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CPWI Hymnal #194b

Hymns Ancient and Modern, New Standard Edition #88

Hymns Old and New #441

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The Hymnal 1982 #215

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The New English Hymnal #132

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Christian Worship (1993) #174

Church Hymnal, Mennonite #140

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Hymns for Today's Church (2nd ed.) #181

Text InfoTune InfoTextScoreAudioPage Scan

Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #414

Text

Rejoice in the Lord #334

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #5990

TextPage Scan

Trinity Hymnal (Rev. ed.) #291

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Trinity Psalter Hymnal #373

Text

Lutheran Service Book #494

Include 178 pre-1979 instances
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