Lyrics
1 HEAD of thy church triumphant,
We joyfully adore thee;
Till thou appear,
Thy members here
Shall sing like those in glory.
We lift our hearts and voices
With blest anticipation,
And cry aloud,
And give to God
The praise of our salvation.
2 While in affliction's furnace,
And passing through the fire,
Thy love we praise,
Which knows our days,
And ever brings us nigher.
We clap our hands exulting
In thine almighty favour;
The love divine
Which made us thine
Shall keep us thine for ever.
3 Thou dost conduct thy people
Through torrents of temptation,
Nor will we fear,
While thou art near,
The fire of tribulation.
The world with sin and Satan
In vain our march opposes,
Through thee we shall
Break through them all,
And sing the song of Moses.
4 By faith we see the glory
To which thou shalt restore us,
The cross despise
For that high prize
Which thou hast set before us.
And if thou count us worthy,
We each, as dying Stephen,
Shall see thee stand
At God's right hand,
To take us up to heaven.
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
“Head of Thy Church Triumphant” looks toward Christ’s final victory while giving present courage to the church. The hymn joins earthly worship with the praise of believers already in glory, anticipating the day when Christ appears. Affliction, temptation, sin, and opposition are acknowledged without becoming the controlling theme. Instead, divine love is praised as the force that preserves God’s people and leads them through tribulation toward restoration.
Several biblical scenes shape the text. Revelation 15:3 names the song of Moses, matching the hymn’s expectation of victory after deliverance. Hebrews 12:2 speaks of Jesus enduring the cross for the joy set before him, a close parallel to despising present suffering for a promised prize. Acts 7:55–56 records Stephen seeing Jesus standing at God’s right hand as death approaches, an image the final stanza directly recalls. These allusions place perseverance within the larger hope of resurrection and heaven. The hymn’s joy is therefore not denial of pain but confidence that Christ, as head of the church, will keep and receive his people.
Related Scripture
- Revelation 15:3 The victorious sing the song of Moses and praise God’s works.
- Hebrews 12:2 Jesus endured the cross because of the joy set before him.
- Acts 7:55-56 Stephen sees Jesus standing at God’s right hand before his death.