Introduction

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Worship has been misunderstood as something that arises from a feeling which comes upon you, but it is vital that we understand that it is rooted in a conscious act of the will to serve and obey the Lord Jesus Christ. Graham Kendrick, this is the Bright Forever. Hello and welcome to the Bright Forever where each week, we rediscover the power and richness found in some of the greatest hymns of the faith. My name is Andy Peavyhouse and I am your host and guide on this incredible adventure through hymnody. It is great to be back with you again this week. In the last two episodes, we delved into the beautiful hymn Be Still my Soul by Katerina von Schlegel and Jan Sibelius. We had to go to a two-parter, but we had a lot of fun, and I've heard from so many of you about how much you enjoyed listening to these last two episodes.

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Well, today we are diving into an equally beautiful and powerful hymn that has stood the test of time. I've heard this song done slow and medium and fast and with a full orchestra and a praise band, and I've heard it done acapella. I've heard it done with just an acoustic guitar and a drum, and every time I hear it I just want to stand up and worship, because it is, I believe, one of the greatest calls to worship in all of hymnody. Today, we will dive into all creatures of our God and King, we'll explore its origins and the life of the man behind it, and then we'll break down the theology of this hymn verse by verse, through the lens of scripture. I wish I could tell you that before we get started here, we have had tons of new Jesus stories from people emailing and sending us their stories about telling us the story of Jesus in their lives, but I can't tell you that I've heard a lot from people excited about what we've been talking about in these last few episodes, but other than that first story I shared, it's been pretty dry. Still, I'd love to hear from you. I'd love to hear what Jesus is doing in your life. I do have one. I did ask my dad to tell me one of his stories of Jesus, so that'll be coming out as a bonus at some point, because I don't want to share the story. I want you to hear it from him. But, seriously, email us at podcastatthebrightforevercom or go to our website and click the Contact Us tab and send us your story of Jesus working in and through your life, the things he's helped you through, the things he's helped you get past and really change in your life. Take a moment, if you haven't had a chance to do it, and send us your story of Jesus today. So let's get started with this amazing hymn. But, as always, before we do that, don't forget to click subscribe and follow us at the Bright Forever so you never miss an episode. And with that, here comes All Creatures of Our God and King.

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The words of All Creatures of Our God and King come from a poem written nearly 800 years ago, written nearly 800 years ago by Giovanni di Bernardone, but you probably don't know him by that name. You probably know him as St Francis of Assisi, a man who went from a life of wealth to radical poverty for the sake of Christ. So his mom called him Giovanni. His dad was out of town and so his mom called him Giovanni. And when his dad got back into town, he decided he didn't want him to be named just Giovanni, so he added Francesco to the front, and so he is Giovanni Francesco di Bernadone I think that's how you say the last name, but I'm not Italian so I'm not really sure. But we know him as St Francis. He was born in 1181 or 82. We're really not sure.

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In Assisi, italy, francis was the son of a wealthy silk merchant. He lived lavishly in his youth, enjoying the pleasures of the world. Yet even in his early years he was known for his kindness to the poor, though his father disapproved. His life took a dramatic turn after he served as a soldier, after being captured in war, being held for a year and then falling ill just as he returned home, he began to lose interest in his wealth and comfort. Instead, he felt drawn toward a life of humility and service. He began seeking God and giving away his wealth, much to the dismay of his family. One day he had a vision of Christ telling him to repair my house, which is falling into ruins. Taking this vision literally, francis took some clothes and the horse he rode on and sold them to try and repair an old church. When the bishop refused the money, he just threw the money out the window for anyone to have.

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His father was furious and attempted to force him back into the family business. Furious and attempted to force him back into the family business, going as far as to beat him in an effort to change his mind. He then brought him before the civil authorities, his dad. His dad brought him before the civil authorities and when Francis refused to answer the summons, his father called him before the Bishop of Assisi, before any accusations were made. And this I just want you to know. This is insane. I am going to read to you exactly out of the encyclopedia right now, because I wouldn't believe any of the stories I saw online. I was like this is insane. I've never heard this story before. This is crazy. This comes straight out of the encyclopedia.

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Before any accusations were made, francis, without a word, peeled off his garments, even removing his pants, and gave them back to his father, completely naked, before his father and the bishop. He said until now I have called you my father on earth, father on earth, but henceforth I can truly say our father, who art in heaven. The astonished bishop gave him a cloak and Francis went off into the woods above the city. He renounced his, his inheritance and his family name, choosing instead to become a beggar for Christ. One pivotal moment in his life happened when he heard a sermon from Matthew 10, where Jesus sends out his disciples telling them to take nothing for their journey no gold or silver, no money of any kind, no extra clothing, just faith in God's provision. Francis took these words literally. He declared this is what I wish, this is what I am seeking, this is what I want to do from the bottom of my heart. He then removed his shoes, discarded his staff, put on a rough tunic and began to preach repentance. He did go around restoring broken down chapels and churches all throughout Italy. From that point on, he roamed the Italian countryside preaching the gospel, caring for the sick and the poor and living in radical dependence on God. Radical dependence on God. He was always cheerful, always singing, and his joy attracted others to his cause. Those followers who kept drawing near to his radical commitment eventually formed the Franciscan order, which still exists today.

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In addition to his preaching, francis is remembered as the first known Italian writer. He believed that worship should be accessible to all people, not just the educated clergy. So when he wrote, he wrote in the common language instead of Latin. Francis was also known for his love of nature, not as something to be worshiped, but as something that pointed to its creator, its creator In 1224,. Even in his final days, as his health declined and his eyesight failed, his heart remained fixed on God's glory in creation. It was during this time that he wrote the Canticle of the Sun, the poem that would later be adapted into the hymn.

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We know today All Creatures of Our God and King. This hymn calls all creation sun, moon, wind, fire, even death itself to praise God, and in doing so it reflects the truth of God's sovereignty over all things. The melody that we now associate with the hymn is a German hymn tune that was harmonized by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1904. It's crazy Hundreds of years later, Williams was an English composer known for preserving folk music and arranging hymns, and his adaptation helped all creatures of our God and King become one of the most powerful hymns and calls to praise in all of church history. So let's turn to its theology. It couldn't have lasted this long if it didn't say something important.

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This hymn is deeply rooted in scripture, drawing from passages that declare God's glory through creation. They call us as humanity to worship and affirm the sovereignty of our triune God. This is one of those hymns that, verse by verse, tells a story of greater and greater praise. For the sake of time, I'm not going to go through all of the possible verses of this song. I'm going to stick to the four most widely used verses. And we're going to see, because in verse one we see the call of creation to praise. In verse two, we bring in the other elements, like the wind and the clouds and the sunrise and the sunset. In verse three we call on the saints. We join in and then, at last, in the last verse, we all worship all things. Their creator bless, and we worship our triune God. It's going to be good. Here we go. So, all creatures of our God and King, lift up your voice and with us sing hallelujah. Hallelujah. Thou burning sun with golden beam, thou silver moon with softer gleam, oh praise him. Oh praise him. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

The Theology Behind All Creatures of Our God and King

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This opening verse echoes Psalm 148, which calls all creation sun, moon, stars, land and sea to praise the Lord. Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars. This reflects the doctrine of God's absolute sovereignty over creation. The heavens do not merely exist. They actively declare his glory, psalm 19,. They actively declare his glory, psalm 19,. The heavens declare the glory of God and the skies proclaim the work of his hands. The sun and the moon serve not as just independent cosmic forces, but as obedient servants to their creator. Colossians 1.16 affirms this by saying for by him, all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. All things were created through him and for him. Who is the him? Jesus. All things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, all things were created through him and for him. This hymn beautifully captures this truth. Creation was made for God's glory and it's very existence is an act of praise to him.

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In verse 2, thou rushing wind, thou art so strong. Ye clouds that sail in heaven alone, o praise him, hallelujah. Thou rising morn in praise, rejoice Ye lights of evening find a voice. O praise him. O praise him, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. This verse continues the call to worship, extending it to wind and clouds and morning and evening. Again we see Psalm 148 mirrored here Fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind. Fulfilling his word, god commands even the forces of nature. They're at his command. The wind and the clouds do not move randomly. They fulfill God's purpose. Jesus demonstrated this when he calmed the storm with just a word in Mark, chapter 4. Nature itself obeys the voice of its creator. He rules in sovereignty, and even the wind and the clouds, the sun, the moon, the stars listen and are obedient and praise him.

Speaker 1 17:43

This hymn reminds us that God's providence extends over all creation. He sustains and directs everything according to his perfect will. Sustains and directs everything according to his perfect will. Hebrews 1.3 says he is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature. And he upholds the universe. And he upholds the universe by the word of his power. Nothing, from the smallest breeze to the rising sun, exists apart from his sustaining hand. Rising morning and lights of evening show us that from dawn to dusk and back to dawn again, god's praise never ceases, his dominion never ceases.

Speaker 1 18:43

Lamentations 3, 22 through 23 says the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They are made new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. That's a whole other hymn right there. Every sunrise and sunset testifies to God's faithfulness and calls us to join in creation's song of praise. And so comes verse three. And we're called to join in. And all ye, saints of tender heart, forgiving others, take your part. Oh, sing ye Hallelujah. Others take your part, oh, sing ye, hallelujah. Ye, who long pain and sorrow bear, praise God and on him cast your care. Oh, praise him, oh, praise him, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. This verse shifts from creation to the people of God, his saints, called to forgiveness and trust in him through suffering. The call to forgiveness points us to Ephesians, chapter four, verse 32,. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God and Christ forgave you and all ye, saints of tender heart, we are to love each other.

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And I love how it says this in a call to worship. We can't worship if we've got a beef with somebody. We need to be forgiving each other. How can we worship God if we can't even forgive our neighbor? All ye, saints of tender heart, forgiving others, take your part While forgiving. Forgiving others, take your part While forgiving. You got to forgive others. You've got to forgive others to take your part in this time of praise.

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Forgiveness is not merely something we do as good followers of God or out of our own virtue. It is a response to God's sovereign grace. We forgive because we have been forgiven by God through Christ's atonement. Colossians 3, 12 through 13 says put on, then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other. As the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

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The second half of this verse addresses those bearing sorrow and pain. It's a direct reflection on 1 Peter 5, verse 7,. Cast all your cares upon him because he cares for you. Suffering is never meaningless. We talked about this on our last hymn that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame.

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From Romans, chapter five. It is part of God's sanctifying work Romans 8, 28 through 30, and we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose, for those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined he also called, and those he called he also justified, and those he justified he also glorified. Even in our pain and our sorrow there's a call to praise, because we know that all things work together for good. We know that suffering produces endurance and character and hope. So when Job exemplifies this and he declares hey, the Lord gives and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord Our response to suffering should be worship. Our response to suffering should be worship, trusting in God's sovereign plan, just as this hymn urges us praise God and on him cast your care, cast all your cares on him, cast your care, cast all your cares on him. So not only is it calling us first, it's saying hey, all of the saints, those with tender hearts, you need to come and you need to forgive each other, you need to help each other, you need to live together in community. And while you're doing that, while you're living out that worship, oh, sing ye alleluia, you who have long pain and sorrow that you're bearing, and sorrow that you're bearing, praise God, worship, worship through it, and cast all your care on him. Oh, praise him, oh, praise him, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

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And then we get to verse four, when all of creation worships the triune God. Let all things their creator bless and worship him in humbleness. Oh, praise him, alleluia, praise, praise the father, praise the son and praise the spirit. Three in one, oh, praise him. Oh, praise the Son and praise the Spirit. Three in one. Oh, praise Him. Oh, praise Him, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

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This hymn's final call let all things their Creator bless takes us back again to Romans, this time, chapter 11, verse 36. For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever, amen. All things exist for God's glory and our rightful response should be humble worship, not self-exaltation, but bending low before our creator and redeemer. Isaiah 66, verse 2,. God himself declares but this is the one to whom I will look, he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. Chapter six, verse eight, says he has told you, oh man, what is good and what does the Lord require of you? But to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God. Worship is not just singing I say this all the time. Not just singing, I say this all the time it's a life lived in humble obedience to God, to walk humbly before your God. So let's hit up Romans, chapter 12, verse 1. It says I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. This is who you are.

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Humble worship, letting all things their creator bless and worship him in humbleness, is living a life of humility before God.

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Everything that we are and everything that we do is an act of worship. We've talked about this in season one, when we talked about the doxology. Everything we do is a doxology, it's a praise, it's a worship to him. Colossians 3, verse 16 to 17,. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God, and whatever you do and whatever you do in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God, the Father. Through him, everything we do should be that spiritual act of worship, humbling ourselves, trembling at the word of God. Let all things their creator bless.

All Creatures by Reawaken Hymns

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And finally we get to this last part of the verse and it brings everything to its ultimate purpose Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son and praise the Spirit. Three in one. Everything is brought to its ultimate purpose worshiping the triune God. Our worship is directed not toward some vague deity or cosmic force or higher consciousness, but it is directly at the father, the son and the Holy spirit. One God in three persons. Oh praise him. Oh praise him, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, oh praise him. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. This hymn is a doxology that mirrors the heavenly worship in Revelation 4, verse 8. Heavenly worship in Revelation four, verse eight. It says holy, holy, holy is the Lord, god almighty, who was and is and is to come.

Speaker 3 30:56

All creatures of our God and King, lift up your voice and with us sing. Thank you, thou silver moon, with softer gleam. Oh praise Him. Oh praise Him, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, hallelujah, thou rush you in. They are not strong, ye clouds are still and never know long. 2. O praise and alleluia Thou rising morn and praise rejoices, praise, rejoice Yearlights of evening. Find a voice. Oh praise Him, oh praise Him, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Let all things their Creator bless and worship Him in humbleness. Oh praise Him, alleluia, praise, praise the Father, praise the Son and praise the Spirit, three in one. Oh praise Him, oh praise Him, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

Close Out

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That was, all Creatures of Our God and King, performed by Nathan Drake, of Reawaken Hymns. It is from the album the Trinity Acoustic Sessions, volume 1, which contains acoustic recordings of the arrangements of the Trinity Project albums Hymns of the Father, Hymns of the Son and Hymns of the arrangements of the Trinity Project albums Hymns of the Father, hymns of the Son and Hymns of the Spirit. The more modern version of All Creatures of Our God and King, with the full band, is found on the album. Hymns of the Father. Lyric videos, chord charts and sheet music are available through the links in the show notes, and sheet music are available through the links in the show notes.

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Like I've said before, this hymn is not just a song. It's a call, a call for all of creation to join together in worship of the sovereign triune God. Creation declares God's glory, the world around us points to its creator. God's sovereignty extends over nature and human suffering. Everything, everything is under his providential care. The redeemed are called to forgive, to trust God in trial, and worship is our response in all circumstances. And our triune God, father, son and Holy Spirit is at the center of all true worship and that is where our praise is directed. So the next time you sing, all creatures of Our God and King, let it remind you of the deep biblical truths behind every line. This hymn is a declaration of God's sovereignty, of his grace and his eternal glory.

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Thank you for joining me today on the Bright Forever Podcast. If this episode encouraged, you be sure to subscribe and share it with others. You can follow this podcast either through Apple, spotify, amazon or many other podcast platforms, or you can take our RSS feed and plug it into wherever you listen to podcasts. If you want to dig deeper into the hymns we have done before, please take a minute and visit our website at thebrightforevercom. And last but not least, I'm not going to do this a lot, but if you love what we're doing here on our little podcast, there are some things you can do to help us. First, keep listening.

Speaker 1 36:42

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Speaker 1 37:37

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Speaker 1 38:49

Let me close us in prayer, lord, thank you for being the sovereign God that you are. Prayer, lord, thank you for being the sovereign God that you are. That God, the sun, the moon, the stars, the wind, the waves, the clouds they are attentive to your voice and they know their creator. God, if they can know and they can praise you, how much more can we, as your chosen children, made in your image, god, help us to worship, help us to join in that chorus and let all things, their creator, bless and worship you in humbleness. God, we love you, we praise you. We thank you for who you are, for your deep, deep love for us. We give you all the glory and all the honor in Jesus name. Amen. God bless you all. Have a great week and we'll see you back here next week. We're out, thank you.