Thanksgiving Hymn: Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven

Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven was written by Rev. Henry Francis Lyte.

The text is based on Psalm 103 which begins with “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”

Henry Francis Lyte

He first published the song in his 1834 The Spirit of the Psalms and remains a popular hymn in some denominations. One hymnologists noted notes that “it is hard to find a major hymnbook that does not include it”.

His text has been alterated for some publications.

The hymn is most commonly sung to John Goss 1868 melody “Lauda Anima” or “Praise, my soul”. The pair first appeared in print in 1869 and one journal stated “it is at once the most beautiful and dignified hymn tune which has lately come under our notice”.

John Goss

Paul Westermeyer notes that it has “been praised as one of the finest” hymn tunes from the Victorian period and remains much a favourite of congregations

The song was sung at the 1947 wedding of Princess Elizabeth {now Queen Elizabeth II} and Prince Philip. It was also the opening hymn at the 2018 funeral of former President George H. W. Bush.

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