Unless stated otherwise, my source for hymn texts and tunes is The Lutheran Service Book.

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

LSB #512 "At the Name of Jesus"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Philippians 2:5-11, Luke 1:31, John 1:1-4, Acts 1:10-11

Philippians 2:5-11:  "5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Luke 1:31:  "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus."

John 1:1-4:  "1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  2 He was in the beginning with God.  3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.  4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men."

Acts 1:10-11: "10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven?  This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.'"

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The text is public domain:
At the name of Jesus
Ev'ry knee shall bow,
Ev'ry tongue confess Him
King of glory now.
'Tis the Father's pleasure
We should call Him Lord,
Who from the beginning
Was the mighty Word.
At His voice creation
Sprang at once to sight,
All the angel faces,
All the hosts of light,
Thrones and bright dominions,
Stars upon their way,
All the heav'nly orders
In their great array.
Humbled for a season,
To receive a name
From the lips of sinners
Unto whom He came,
Faithfully He bore it
Spotless to the last,
Brought it back victorious
When from death He passed;
Bore it up triumphant
With its human light,
Through all ranks of creatures
To the central height,
To the throne of Godhead,
To the Father's breast,
Filled it with the glory
Of that perfect rest.
In your hearts enthrone Him;
There let Him subdue
All that is not holy,
All that is not true:
Crown Him as your captain
In temptation's hour;
Let His will enfold you
In its light and pow'r.
Christians, this Lord Jesus
Shall return again
In His Father's glory,
With His angel train;
For all wreaths of empire
Meet upon His brow,
And our hearts confess Him
King of glory now.
Glory then to Jesus,
Who, the Prince of light,
To a world in darkness
Brought the gift of sight;
Praise to God the Father;
In the Spirit's love
Praise we all together
Him who reigns above.
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The first half of the first verse ("At the name of Jesus / Ev'ry knee shall bow, / Ev'ry tongue confess Him / King of glory now") comes from Philippians 2:10-11.  The last two lines of the first verse ("Who from the beginning / Was the mighty Word") and the whole of the second verse (referencing the Creation) are drawn from John 1:1-4.

The lines "Humbled for a season, / To receive a name / From the lips of sinners" in the third verse seem to combine the humility mentioned in the first half of the text from Philippians and "you shall call his name Jesus" from Luke 1:31.

The fourth and sixth verses come from Acts 1:10-11.  The fourth verse describes Jesus' Ascension, and the sixth describes how He will return.