Worship Arts Notes

All glory, laud, and honor, 
To thee, Redeemer, King, 
To whom the lips of children 
Made sweet hosannas ring. 
 
Thou art the King of Israel, 
Thou David’s royal Son, 
Who in the Lord’s name comest, 
The King and Blessed One. 
 

“All Glory, Laud, and Honor” is perhaps the quintessential Palm Sunday entrance hymn. With its Latin text written in the 9th century by Theodulph of Orleans (ca. 750-821), its English translation by John Mason Neale (1818-1866) and its majestic 17th-century German tune by Melchior Teschner (1584-1635), one would have to look far and wide for a hymn more rooted in Western historical and cultural traditions. 
 
The Latin text begins: 
 
Gloria, laus, et honor tibi sit, rex 
Christe, Redemptor, 
cui puerile decus prompsit Hosanna pium. . . . 
 
A literal translation demonstrates how faithful Neale—the prince of 19th-century translators—was to the original text: “Glory and honor and laud be to thee, Christ, King and Redeemer, Children before whose steps raised their Hosannas of praise. . . .” 
 
Following his election in 800 as Archbishop of Orleans, Theodulph was prominent in the court of Charlemagne. However, he did not fare as well under Charlemagne’s successor, Louis I (also known as Louis the Pious), emperor from 814-840. Theodulph was accused of participating in the rebellion of Bernard of Italy and, subsequently, was imprisoned. 
 
Methodist hymnologist Fred Gealy notes the context for the writing of this hymn: “According to the legend as told by Clichtoveus, in his Elucidatorium, 1516, the hymn was composed and first sung on a certain Sunday when Theodulph was imprisoned in Angers. Emperor Louis was present that day as the procession moved through the city and halted beneath the tower where the saint was imprisoned. Suddenly, to his astonishment, the emperor heard from above the Gloria Laus, chanted loudly and melodiously. Being charmed, he asked the name of the singer and was told that it was his own prisoner, Theodulph. Moved with compassion for him, the emperor pardoned the saint, returned him to his see and ordered that henceforth the hymn which Theodulph had composed be sung on Palm Sunday.” 
 
British hymnologist J. Richard Watson notes that “modern scholars have cast doubt on the story of the release from prison, which would have appealed strongly to [the translator and romantic John Mason] Neale. Louis did not visit Angers after 818, which was the date of Theodulph’s imprisonment. Neale would have liked to think that a hymn could have such a powerful effect.” 

By Dr. C Michael Hawn professor of sacred music at Perkins School of Theology, SMU.