Come Now Almighty King
Come now, Almighty King
This hymn is a direct invocation of the Trinity, calling upon Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in successive stanzas, making it a confession of trinitarian doctrine central to Lutheran theology. The emphasis on the Spirit's role in individual Christian experience connects to Lutheran pneumatology and personal faith.
History & Background
First published in 1757, this anonymous English hymn became one of the most important trinitarian invocations in Protestant worship. It appears in virtually all major English and German Lutheran hymnals and reflects the 18th-century revival of explicit trinitarian hymnody.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 820
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 522
- Lutheran Service Book — 905
- Lutheran Worship — 169
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 239
- With One Voice — 631
Bulletin Note
An 18th-century hymn of unknown authorship, likely English. Each stanza addresses one person of the Trinity. The robust tune 'Italian Hymn' echoes the hymn's trinitarian structure and has anchored Protestant worship for centuries.
Preaching Connection
This hymn's successive invocation of Father, Son, and Spirit exemplifies Lutheran trinitarian faith and amplifies the proclamation that God's majesty (revealed in Law) meets us with grace through Christ and the Spirit's transforming presence (Gospel).
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Law (divine majesty and power) → Gospel (petition for Spirit's grace, redemption, and indwelling presence) → Doxology (Trinitarian unity and mercy)
Themes
Invocation of the Trinity Divine majesty and power Holy Spirit Worship and adoration God the Father and Son