Psalter Hymnal (Gray) ‎#395

395. Hail, O Once-Despised Jesus

1 Hail, O once-despised Jesus!
Hail, O Galilean King!
You have suffered to release us,
hope and joy and peace to bring.
Hail, O agonizing Savior,
bearer of our sin and shame;
by your merits we find favor;
life is given through your name.

2 Paschal Lamb, by God appointed,
all our sins on you were laid;
by almighty love anointed,
you have full atonement made.
All your people are forgiven
through the virtue of your blood;
opened is the gate of heaven;
we are reconciled to God.

3 Jesus! Heavenly hosts adore you,
seated at your Father's side.
Crucified this world once saw you;
now in glory you abide.
There for sinners you are pleading,
and our place you now prepare,
ever for us interceding,
till in glory we appear.

4 Worship, honor, power, and blessing
you are worthy to receive;
loudest praises, without ceasing,
right it is for us to give.
Help, O bright angelic spirits,
all your noblest anthems raise;
help to sing our Savior's merits,
help to chant Immanuel's praise.

Text Information

• First Line: Hail, O once-despised Jesus
• Title: Hail, O Once-Despised Jesus
• Author (attr.): John Bakewell (1757, alt.)
• Meter: 87 87 D
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1987
• Scripture:
  John 19:2-5
  ;
  Romans 8:34
  ;
  1 Corinthians 15
  ;
  Hebrews 7:25
  ;
  Revelation 5:6-14
  ;
  Hebrews 7
  ;
  Luke 9
  ;
  Philippians 2:11
  ;
  Revelation 5:14
  ;
  Romans 8
• Topic: Doxologies; Ascension & Reign of Christ; Biblical Names & Places: Galilee/Galilean; Easter; Angels; Atonement; Lamb of God; Salvation

Tune Information

• Name: ARFON (Major)
• Adapter and Harmonizer: Stanley L. Osborne (1970)
• Meter: 87 87 D
• Key: G Major
• Source: Welsh
• Copyright: © Stanley L. Osborne

Text Information:

Scripture References:
st. 1 = Isa. 53:3-5
st. 2 = Rom 5:11
st. 3 = Acts 5:31, Rom. 8:34, Heb. 7:25
st. 4 = Rev. 4:11, Rev. 5:12

The original two-stanza version of this text, now attributed to John Bakewell (b. Brailsford, Derbyshire, England, 1721; d. Lewisham, England, 1819), was published anonymously in the 1757 London pamphlet A Collection of Hymns Addressed to the Holy, Holy, Triune God. Bakewell was a lay evangelist and itinerant preacher in the Methodist tradition. He was personally acquainted with John and Charles Wesley (PHH 267) as well as with Augustus Toplady (PHH 497). Although he wrote several hymns and other devotional poetry, only "Hail, Thou Once-Despised Jesus" remains in common use.

Martin Madan altered and extended the text for his Collection of Psalms and Hymns (1760); later hymnal editors further altered the text. The present version is derived from the modernized text in Hymns for Today's Church (1982).

Described by Austin Lovelace as "rhymed theology," the text moves from Christ's suffering and death (st. 1-2) to his exaltation at the Father's right hand (st. 3-4); from our redemption and forgiveness (st. 1-2) to Christ's intercession for us (st. 3). Finally, we join in a cosmic praise of the Savior (st. 4).

Liturgical Use:
Lent; Holy Week; Easter; Ascension; as a processional hymn for the beginning of worship services.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook

Tune Information:

ARFON is originally a six-phrase Welsh folk tune in minor tonality entitled 'Tros y Garreg." Named for a district on the mainland of northern Wales opposite Mon and Anglesey, the tune was published in Edward Jones's Relicks of the Welsh Bards (1784). In the later nineteenth century ARFON was associated in France with the Christmas texts "Un nouveaux present des cieux" and 'Joseph est bien marie."

The tune is a rounded bar form (AABA), set here in major tonality. The harmonization, prepared by Stanley L. Osborne (b. Clarke Township, ON, Canada, 1907) in 1970 was published in the Hymn Book (1971), which was published by two Canadian denominations, the Anglican Church and the United Church. Osborne intended his harmonization first of all for a recorder ensemble and only secondarily for organ or voices. Use a clean, light accompaniment for stanzas 1 and 2 and a broader treatment for stanzas 3 and 4. Sing the middle stanzas in parts. Use trumpet accompaniment for stanza 4.

Osborne's interest in both pastoral work and church music is reflected in his education and career. Educated in music at Victoria University, Toronto, and in theology at Emmanuel College, Toronto, he received a Mus.D. from the University of Toronto in 1945 and a Th.D. from Victoria University in 1954. He was ordained in the United Church of Canada in 1932 and served five pastorates. In 1948 he became principal of the Ontario Ladies College (now Trafalgar Castle School), Whitby, Ontario, and in 1968, the full-time secretary of the committee that prepared the Hymn Book (1971). Osborne also published a handbook to that hymnal, If Such Holy Song (1976), which is characterized not only by solid scholarship but also by the expression of strong personal opinions. In 1986 he was appointed a Fellow of the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook