Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven
"Angels, help us to adore Him, you behold Him face to face!"
stanza theme: praise His salvation for us
1 Praise, my soul, the King of heaven;[1]
to his feet your tribute bring.[2]
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,[3]
evermore his praises sing.[4]
Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him!
Praise the everlasting King!
[1] whether you’re on the highest of mountain tops in life, or the lowest of valleys, no matter your situation, you can start your worship of God with this song
[2] restated: my tribute brings me to His feet.
[3] what a description of the journey of salvation! Each of these words is worthy of meditating on separately: Ransomed— per Mark 10:45, “He [Jesus] gave His life as a ransom.” God then healed us spiritually, so that we are no longer a slave to sin. He then restored us, so that we can enter His gates and presence. And lastly, he forgives us, when we miss the mark.
[4] given that journey of salvation, we really should sing His praises forever.
stanza theme: praise His faithfulness
2 Praise Him for His grace and favor
To our fathers in distress;[5]
Praise Him, still the same as ever,
Slow to chide and swift to bless.[6]
Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him!
Glorious in His faithfulness![7]
[5] refers to the patriarchs in the Old Testament—e.g. Abraham and Jacob faced significant sufferings, but God was faithful to them. (and He will be to us.)
[6] God is a loving father. Like any parent, He disciplines us—it would be unloving of Him to not do so— and he also blesses us much beyond what we deserve. He is slow to anger, and has lavished us in love.
[7] beautiful characteristics of God in this stanza: He is gracious, full of favor, unchanging, slow to anger, blesses bountifully, and faithful.
stanza theme: praise His mercy
3 Father-like, He tends and spares us;[8]
Well our feeble frame He knows.[9]
In His hands He gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes.[10]
Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him!
Widely yet His mercy flows.
[8] note the shepherd language. Shepherds tend to the flock, they spare sheep from disaster.
[9] restated: He knows our weaknesses, having created us.
[10] even though we disobey, out of His mercy he rescues us.
stanza theme: praising His nature
4 Frail as summer's flow'r we flourish;
blows the wind and it is gone;[11]
but, while mortals rise and perish,
God endures unchanging on:
Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him!
Praise the high eternal One.
[11] restated: life is fragile
stanza theme: praising His grace
5 Angels, help us to adore him;
you behold him face to face.[12]
Sun and moon, bow down before him,
dwellers all in time and space.[13]
Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him!
Praise with us the God of grace!
[12] What a glorious thought this is: the praise we can express in these mortal bodies isn’t sufficient and that we have to ask the angels for their assistance, considering they behold Him face to face. What a beautiful situation to visualize.
[13] restated: all creation will recognize and honor God
This hymn is a paraphrase of Psalm 103
Author: Henry F. Lyte
Composer: John Goss
Meter: 8.7.8.7.8.7
Tune name: LAUDA ANIMA