It’s very hard for me to pick one hymn as my favorite, as there are so many hymns and modern songs that have encouraged me in my life. In fact, as I struggled with depression as a young college student, one musical change helped foster a new attitude towards life. I moved from playing the depressing folk songs of my musical heroes (mostly about broken relationships), to spending time praising God with my guitar and voice. I sang the life of Christ into my downcast soul. Over time, as my depression lifted, I sang with greater joy and meaning.  Music helped me greatly in that season - worship about Christ and his love for me especially.

Crown Him with Many Crowns has probably been as influential in my life as any other hymn or worship song. I have sung it from childhood. That hymn told me of the glories of Jesus Christ when the preaching of my childhood church often muted and distorted the gospel. That hymn pointed me away from myself often as a growing young Christian. It reminds me of the heavenly realities that Christ (along with the Father and the Spirit) is forever praised and worthy of our whole life.

The hymn also does a masterful job of preaching the gospel of the death of Jesus Christ for our sins, and his resurrection from the dead. It proclaims to us a fully divine Christ who rules from on high and will be praised forever and ever.

I’m captured by the lyrics of Christ. If Christ Jesus is really this marvelous, then faith and repentance make a lot of sense. A life of devotion to Christ makes perfect sense.

This hymn was played in our wedding as we longed to honor Jesus Christ, the groom who is coming for His bride some day (may it be soon!). I’ve asked in my will for this hymn to be sung at my funeral, because to Him is all praise and glory and honor. On that day I will be worshipping and praising Christ as I never have before, but as I will forever and ever, in great joy every moment of every day. Because of Christ, every Christian funeral is both a time of mourning, but also, a time of great rejoicing.

This link has all of the verses.