At the Name of Jesus
At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow
At the Name of Jesus is a hymn text by Caroline Maria Noel (1870) in C.M. (8.6.8.6) meter. Found in CW21 547, CW93 344, ELH 53, ch95 97. Sung to KING'S WESTON.
The hymn embodies Lutheran Christology by affirming Christ's full divinity, exaltation, and universal Lordship as both God and redeemer. It reflects the incarnational theology central to Lutheran faith, celebrating how Christ's humiliation and exaltation accomplish salvation and gather all creation to His throne.
History & Background
Caroline Maria Noel wrote this hymn in 1870 as a meditation on Philippians 2:9-11, emphasizing Christ's exaltation and universal sovereignty. It was first published in her collection 'Rambling Thoughts' and has become one of the most beloved English hymns celebrating Christ's supremacy and the cosmic scope of His redemptive work.
Scripture References Caroline Marie Noel (b. Teston, Kent, England, 1817; d. St. Marylebone, London, England, 1877) wrote this spiritually st. 1= Phil. 2:6-11 John 1:1 powerful text. The daughter of an Anglican clergyman and hymn writer, she began to write poetry in her late teens but then st. 2 = Ps. 33:6-9 st. 3 = Col. 2:15 abandoned it until she was in her forties. During those years she st. 6 = Acts 1:11 suffered frequent bouts of illness and eventually became an invalid. To encourage both herself and others who were ill or incapacitated, Noel began to write devotional verse again. Her poems were collected in The Name ofJesus and Other Verses for the Sick and Lonely (1861, enlarged in 1870). One of the hymns in the 1870 collection was this text (originally beginning “In the Name ofJesus”), designed for use as a processional hymn on Ascension Day. The Psalter Hymnalindustanzas 1,3-5, and 7-8 of Noel’s original eight stanzas. The text is based on the confession of faith that Paul quotes in Philippians 2:6-11, which may well have been an early Christian hymn. Stanza 1 announces the triumph of the ascended Christ to whom “every knee should bow” (Phil. 2:10). In stanza 2 Christ is the “mighty Word” (see John 1:1-4) through whom “creation sprang at once to sight.” Stanzas 3 and 4 look back to Christ’s humiliation, death, resurrection, and ascension (Phil. 2:6-9). Stanza 5 is an encouragement for submission to Christ, for us to have the “mind of Christ,” and stanza 6 looks forward to Christ’s return as “King of glory.” The text is not only concerned with the name Jesus,” whose saving work it confesses, but also with the glory and majesty that attends “the name ofJesus.”
Hymnal Appearances
- Christian Worship: Hymnal — 547
- Christian Worship — 344
- Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary — 53
- Chalice Hymnal — 97
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 416
- Glory to God — 264
- The Hymnal 1982 — 435
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 179
- Lutheran Service Book — 512
- Lift Up Your Hearts — 214
- Lutheran Worship — 178
- Psalter Hymnal — 467
- Trinity Hymnal — 168
- Voices Together — 233
Liturgical Use
Advent; Easter; Ascension; Epiphany; as a sung confession of faith; many other occa sions of worship.
Bulletin Note
Written by Caroline Maria Noel in 1870, this hymn celebrates Christ's full divinity and exaltation. Its theology echoes Philippians 2, where humiliation becomes the path to universal lordship—the incarnational heart of Lutheran faith.
Preaching Connection
This hymn powerfully enfolds Law and Gospel: Christ's sovereignty demands our submission, yet his voluntary descent and glorification reveals the grace by which sinners are saved and exalted with him.
Catechism & Confessional Connections
- The Second Article (Concerning Redemption) Small Catechism — The Apostles' Creed
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Christ's cosmic supremacy (Philippians 2:9-11): universal submission to His Name, His humiliation and exaltation, His present reign, and creation's responsive obedience
Background Research
LSB 512 (Hymn of the Day for the Confession of St. Peter, Jan 18). Caroline Maria Noel (1817–1877) wrote about a dozen hymns as a teenager, then many more as an invalid in her last twenty years; this is from that later period. First published in the enlarged 1870 edition of her The Name of Jesus, and other Verses for the Sick and Lonely, titled 'Ascension Day', in eight stanzas; Hymns Ancient & Modern (2nd ed., 1875) printed seven, the form LSB keeps, ending in a Trinitarian doxology. Patterned on Phil 2:5–11 but widened to creation (st. 2; John 1:1–4; Col 1:16), Christ's humbling (st. 3), his dwelling in us (st. 5; Gal 2:20) and his return (st. 6; Acts 1:10–11).
Sources: Canterbury Dictionary, 'At the name of Jesus' (preview); LCMS Worship, The Word in Song: Hymn of the Day Studies (William M. Cwirla).
In the Church Year
Hymn of the Day (Lutheran Service Book) for: Confession of St. Peter
Suggested in the one-year series
- Confession of St. Peter (2×)
- Trinity 8 (2×)
- Circumcision and Name of Jesus (1×)
- New Year's Eve (1×)
Suggested in the three-year series
- Confession of St. Peter (1×)
- Circumcision and Name of Jesus (1×)
- Last Sunday of the Church Year (1×)
- Proper 27 (1×)
From LCMS Worship's published hymn suggestions, 2014–2026. The count is how many of those yearly lists suggested this hymn for that day.
Overview
A paraphrase and expansion of the Christ-hymn of Philippians 2:5-11, written as an Ascension hymn. It follows the Name of Jesus through the whole arc of salvation: the Word through whom all things were made, his humbling to receive a name 'from the lips of sinners', his bearing that name spotless through death, and his carrying it, with our human nature, to the Father's throne. It then calls believers to enthrone him in their hearts, promises his return, and ends in praise of the Trinity. It is the Hymn of the Day for the Confession of St. Peter, whose confession 'You are the Christ' is the faith every knee will one day acknowledge.
Central theme: The eternal Word humbled himself to bear a human name and has carried our nature to the Father's throne, where every knee will bow
Structure
Seven stanzas of 65 65 D. Sts. 1–2 confess Christ's lordship and his role in creation; sts. 3–4 his humiliation and exaltation (Phil 2:7-9); st. 5 the response of the heart; st. 6 the return in glory; st. 7 doxology. The 'it' in sts. 3–4 is the Name, which stands for his human nature and person.
Law & Gospel Shape
The Law appears in 'the lips of sinners', in all that is 'not holy' and 'not true' in our hearts, in 'temptation's hour'. The Gospel is the Name borne 'spotless to the last', brought 'back victorious', and raised to the Father's breast.
Confessional Connections
The hymn confesses the two states of Christ: humiliation and exaltation (FC SD VIII 26). Its most striking line is that he bore the Name 'up triumphant with its human light... to the throne of Godhead': the human nature of Christ is exalted to the right hand, not discarded (FC SD VIII; Ep VIII). Christ as the Word through whom all things were made (st. 2) confesses his deity and the Nicene 'through whom all things were made'. St. 5's 'In your hearts enthrone Him' must be read as the response of faith to the One already enthroned, not as a decision that makes him Lord.
Liturgical Use (Study Notes)
Confession of St. Peter (18 January, Hymn of the Day); Ascension; Palm Sunday (Phil 2 is the Epistle); Circumcision and Name of Jesus (1 January); Christ the King.
Historical Notes
Caroline Noel wrote about a dozen hymns as a teenager and many more as an invalid in her last twenty years. This one appeared in the enlarged 1870 edition of her The Name of Jesus, and other Verses for the Sick and Lonely, headed 'Ascension Day', in eight stanzas; Hymns Ancient & Modern (1875) printed seven, the form LSB keeps. LCMS study by William M. Cwirla.
About the Tune
LSB sets it to KING'S WESTON, a 65 65 D tune whose broad lines suit the text's processional character.
Scripture References
Phil 2:5-11 Isa 45:23 Rom 14:11 John 1:1-4 Col 1:15-17 Luke 1:31 Matt 1:21 Heb 4:15 Eph 1:20-23 Heb 1:3 John 1:18 Gal 2:20 Eph 3:17 Acts 1:10-11 Rev 19:12 Matt 16:16
Stanza by Stanza
At Jesus' name every knee will bow and every tongue confess him King of glory now. It is the Father's pleasure that we call him Lord, who was the mighty Word from the beginning.
The opening quotes Philippians 2:10-11, which itself quotes Isaiah 45:23 where the Lord swears that every knee shall bow to him. Paul's point, and the hymn's, is that Jesus bears the divine name: to confess him Lord is to confess him the LORD of Israel. 'Now' is important: he is King already, though his reign is hidden. 'The Father's pleasure' is the Father's will that all honour the Son (John 5:23). Then the hymn leaps from Philippians to John 1:1: the one whose name is Jesus is the eternal Word.
- Scripture
- Phil 2:10-11, Isa 45:23, Rom 14:11, John 5:23, John 1:1, Matt 16:16
- Imagery & language
- Bodily images of worship (knee, tongue); royal title 'King of glory' (Ps 24).
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel: Jesus is Lord, by the Father's will.
- Connection to previous
- Opening stanza: the universal confession.
At his voice creation sprang into being: angels, the hosts of light, thrones and dominions, stars in their courses, all the heavenly orders in their array.
The Word spoke and creation appeared (Gen 1:3; Ps 33:6; John 1:3). The stanza dwells on the invisible creation: angels, 'thrones and bright dominions', which come from Colossians 1:16 ('whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through him and for him'). The Jesus whom every knee will confess is not a creature but the Creator of every rank of creature, including the angels some have been tempted to worship.
- Scripture
- Gen 1:1-3, Ps 33:6, John 1:3, Col 1:16, Heb 1:2, Ps 148:2-3
- Imagery & language
- Cosmic catalogue of heavenly beings and stars.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel by implication: the Saviour is the Creator.
- Connection to previous
- Expands 'the mighty Word' of st. 1 into the work of creation.
Humbled for a time, to receive a name from the lips of the sinners he came to, he bore it faithfully and spotless to the end and brought it back victorious when he passed from death;
Now the hymn follows Philippians 2:7-8: he emptied himself and humbled himself. 'To receive a name from the lips of sinners' is a beautiful insight: the eternal Word accepted a human name ('Jesus', Luke 1:31), given to him and spoken by sinful people. That name means 'the LORD saves' (Matt 1:21). 'Faithfully He bore it spotless to the last' confesses his sinless obedience (Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:22). 'Brought it back victorious when from death He passed' is the resurrection. The stanza runs on into the next without a full stop.
- Scripture
- Phil 2:7-8, Luke 1:31, Luke 2:21, Matt 1:21, Heb 4:15, 1 Pet 2:22, Rom 6:9
- Imagery & language
- The Name personified as something carried; 'for a season' limits the humiliation.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel: Christ took our name and nature, kept it sinless, and brought it through death.
- Connection to previous
- From creation to the incarnation and Passion.
He bore it up triumphant with its human light through all the ranks of creatures to the central height, to the throne of God, to the Father's breast, and filled it with the glory of that perfect rest.
This is the exaltation (Phil 2:9) and the hymn's original theme, the Ascension. The Name, which here means the human Jesus, is carried 'with its human light' through all the ranks of creatures named in st. 2, above angels and principalities (Eph 1:20-21; Heb 1:4), to 'the throne of Godhead'. The human nature is not left behind; a man now sits at the Father's right hand. 'To the Father's breast' recalls John 1:18, 'the only God, who is at the Father's side'. Our flesh is in heaven, the pledge that we shall follow.
- Scripture
- Phil 2:9, Eph 1:20-23, Heb 1:3-4, John 1:18, Acts 1:9, Heb 4:14, Heb 4:9-10
- Imagery & language
- Upward movement through the ranks of creatures; the 'central height'.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel: our human nature exalted in Christ to God's throne.
- Connection to previous
- Completes the arc begun in st. 3: from humiliation to exaltation.
Enthrone him in your hearts, and let him subdue there everything that is unholy and untrue. Crown him as your Captain in the hour of temptation, and let his will enfold you in its light and power.
The hymn turns to the singers. Christ already reigns at the Father's right hand; the call is to let his reign take hold of the heart (Eph 3:17, 'that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith'; Gal 2:20). It is Christ who 'subdues' what is not holy or true, as he subdues all things to himself (Phil 3:21). The 'Captain' is the pioneer of our salvation (Heb 2:10), who helps in temptation because he was tempted (Heb 2:18).
- Scripture
- Eph 3:17, Gal 2:20, Phil 3:21, Heb 2:10, 18, Col 3:15, 1 Cor 10:13
- Imagery & language
- Royal imagery (enthrone, crown) applied to the heart; military 'Captain'.
- Law / Gospel
- Law: what is unholy and untrue in us. Gospel: Christ's reign subduing it and helping in temptation.
- Connection to previous
- Applies Christ's heavenly reign to the believer's heart.
Christians, this Lord Jesus will return in his Father's glory with his angels; all crowns of empire meet upon his head, and our hearts confess him King of glory now.
The angels' word at the ascension: 'This Jesus... will come in the same way' (Acts 1:11). He comes 'in the glory of his Father with his angels' (Matt 16:27). 'For all wreaths of empire meet upon His brow' recalls the many diadems of Revelation 19:12. The stanza ends by repeating the end of st. 1, 'King of glory now': what every knee will confess at his return, faith confesses already.
- Scripture
- Acts 1:11, Matt 16:27, Matt 25:31, Rev 19:12, Rev 11:15
- Imagery & language
- Crowns and wreaths; refrain-like echo of st. 1.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel: the return of the King.
- Connection to previous
- From his present reign to his visible return.
Glory then to Jesus, Prince of light, who brought the gift of sight to a darkened world; praise to God the Father, and in the Spirit's love let us all praise him who reigns above.
The doxology gathers the Epiphany themes of light and sight (John 8:12; 9:5) and praises the Trinity. 'Prince of light' answers the darkness of the world's sin and blindness.
- Scripture
- John 8:12, John 9:5, 2 Cor 4:6, Rom 5:5, Rev 5:13
- Imagery & language
- Light and sight; Trinitarian doxology.
- Law / Gospel
- Response of praise.
- Connection to previous
- Closing doxology.
Themes
Christology Lordship of Christ Adoration Universal dominion Resurrection and exaltation