Songs of Thankfulness and Praise

The author of this text, Christopher Wordsworth (1807-1885), was born into an educated and ecclesiastical family, studying literature and mathematics at Cambridge University, England.  He taught school, served as parish priest, and eventually ended up as a bishop in the Church of England;  he wrote many books, including a book of hymns based on the Church Year.  (Another hymn of his is the great morning hymn, “O Day of Rest and Gladness.”)

The Anglican Church during the Victorian Era was influenced by what has been called the “Oxford Movement.”  This was a concerted effort by bishops, clergy, theologians and laity to renew worship and spirituality in England, drawing inspiration from not only the Early Church, but also from the liturgy, perceived spirituality, and mystagogy of the medieval Church.  Whilst most of England attended church, worship—some argued—constituted empty rituals and rote motions that were too easily dismissed as pious acts to be done on Sunday morning for one hour and never to intrude into daily life.  This renewal effort sought to restore the life to Anglican worship.  There were drives to build more and better churches, there was a reemphasis on stained-glass and eccesiastical artwork.  The liturgy was enlivened and wonderful hymns were composed to correspond with the profound meaning of the church year, this hymn appropriate for Epiphany.

As the first stanza conveys, Epiphany begins as the “sages from afar” visited Christ who was born in Bethlehem. During the season of Epiphany, Christ’s power and Godhead are manifest, gradually revealing His nature and the purpose of the incarnation. The final three stanzas begin with the word “manifest” to emphasize the revelatory aspect of the season; Christ’s divinity is manifest “at Jordan’s stream,” “at Cana, wedding guest. . . changing water into wine,” “making whole palsied limbs and fainting soul,” “quelling all the devil’s might,” and “shining in resplendent light where disciples filled with awe Thy transfigured glory saw.” This hymn veritably encompasses the entire lectionary for the next six weeks–until the beginning of Lent–and as such has traditionally been used on the first Sunday of Epiphany. As any good teacher knows, one must “tell them what you will teach, teach them, then tell them what you taught.” This hymn introduces the scriptural narratives which, over the coming weeks, will reveal Christ as the second person of the Trinity, before his ascent to Jerusalem and Calvary.