Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim (Christ the King Sunday)

Today is the last Sunday of the Church Year, commonly called "Christ the King Sunday."

With the arrival of next Sunday, the season of Advent begins a new Church Year.

This well-known hymn is found in the "Paderborn Gesangbuch" and is dated 1765. The fine tune, which is known by the name of "Paderborn," is paired with a number of texts, but this one by Charles Wesley (1707-1788) is probably the most often used.

These fine words talk about the "Kingly attributes" of God, but they only mention the word "King" once, so, the text is by no means a hymn specific to this Sunday.

The superb harmonization is by Sir Sydney Hugo Nicholson MVO (9 February 1875 – 30 May 1947). Nicholson was an English choir director, organist and composer, once organist of Westminster Abbey, he is now chiefly remembered as the founder of the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM).

The score is attached below, as well as a photo of Sydney Nicholson, and one of this gravestone in Westminster Abbey.

There is one full verse of introduction.

The full text of the hymn is as follows:

Ye servants of God, your master proclaim,
And publish abroad His wonderful name;
the Name all-victorious Of Jesus extol:
His kingdom is glorious, and rules over all.

God ruleth on high, Almighty to save;
And still He is nigh, His presence we have;
The great congregation His triumph shall sing,
Ascribing salvation to Jesus our king.

Salvation to God who sits on the throne!
Let all cry aloud, and honour the Son.
The praises of Jesus the angels proclaim,
Fall down on their faces, and worship the Lamb.

Then let us adore, and give Him His right:
All glory and power, all wisdom and might,
And honour and blessing, with angels above,
And thanks never-ceasing, and infinite love.