Thomas Kelly (1769-1855), born in Lellyville, Ireland, was a fine poet and musician. He was known for giving away his substantial wealth to help the poor and to build churches. The son of a judge, he trained to be a lawyer. Convicted of his sin by The Life, the Walk, and the Triumph of Faith, treatises by William Romaine (1714-1795), he became an ordained minister in the Church of Ireland. Because of his powerful preaching and support of the rising evangelical movements, Kelly was banned from preaching in the Church of England and joined the ranks of “dissenting” ministers. Kelly, who was considered a good musician, wrote 765 hymns. This hymn text is based on Hebrews 2:9-10 which speaks of Christ’s glory and the message of grace that is available because of Christ’s suffering. Kelly may have been inspired by a poem composed by John Bunyan in the poetic collection One Thing is Needful, or Serious Meditations upon the Four Last Things, Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell (1664)¹. Included below is a choral version and a modern retake – enjoy!

The head that once was crowned with thorns
is crowned with glory now;
a royal diadem adorns
the mighty Victor’s brow.

The highest place that heav’n affords
is His, is His by right,
the King of kings and Lord of lords,
and heav’n’s eternal Light.

The joy of all who dwell above,
the joy of all below,
to whom He manifests His love,
and grants His name to know.

To them the cross with all its shame,
with all its grace, is giv’n,
their name, an everlasting name,
their joy, the joy of heav’n.

They suffer with their Lord below,
they reign with Him above,
their profit and their joy to know
the myst’ry of His love.

The cross He bore is life and health,
tho’ shame and death to Him:
His people’s hope, His people’s wealth,
their everlasting theme.

¹umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-the-head-that-once-was-crowned-with-thorns

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This Good Friday song comes from the father of two famous Wesleys – Rev. Samuel Wesley. On 9 February, 1709, Samuel Wesley was sitting in the Rectory when he wrote this hymn. That night the Rectory caught fire and the whole building, as well as all its contents, were destroyed. In one room slept 5 year old John Wesley with his little siblings and nurse. The nurse called out to the children to follow her as she fled with the young baby, but little John stayed fast asleep. He of course escaped, when a man climbed on the shoulders of his father Samuel and reached him from the window. Samuel Wesley exclaimed “Let us kneel down; let us give thanks to God! He has given me all my eight children; let the house go; I am rich enough!” Later on, someone walking in the Rectory garden near the ruined house, noticed a piece of paper lying on the ground. It was this hymn, blown through the open window from the burning house and saved from the fire!¹ Enjoy the words to this one.

Behold the Saviour of mankind
Nailed to the shameful tree!
How vast the love that Him inclined
To bleed and die for thee!

Hark, how He groans, while nature shakes,
And earth’s strong pillars bend!
The temple’s veil in sunder breaks;
The solid marbles rend.

‘Tis done! the precious ransom’s paid!
“Receive my soul!” He cries;
See where He bows His sacred head!
He bows His head and dies!

But soon He’ll break death’s envious chain,
And in full glory shine;
O Lamb of God, was ever pain,
Was ever love, like Thine?

¹W.J. Limmer Sheppard, Great Hymns and Their Stories, page 157-159