Written by Thomas Kelly (1769–1855) and first appearing in his 1820 Hymns on Various Passages of Scripture, this hymn has a direct literary connection to the famous English writer John Bunyan. The first stanza is nearly identical to the thirty- ninth quatrain in the “Heaven” section of Bunyan’s 1665 poem One Thing Is Needful, which reads: “That Head that once was Crown’d with Thorns, / Shall now with Glory shine.” Kelly weaves his six stanzas to unpack Hebrews 2:10, contrasting the agonizing crown of thorns (Matthew 27:29) with Christ’s present heavenly reign. The hymn culminates in the joyous proclamation that Christ’s victory is also a victory for all who believe in Him, lifting our eyes to the eternal joys of paradise.
Sung at Our Saviour
2026