OUR GOD REIGNS

OUR GOD REIGNS

Composer: Leonard E. Smith (1974)
Published in 19 hymnals


Printable scores: PDF
Audio files: MIDI, Recording

Composer: Leonard E. Smith

Leonard Earl ‘Lenny’ Smith, Jr USA 1942-present. Born at Philadelphia, PA, the son of a career Marine Corp father and Catholic mother. The family moved around frequently due to his father’s transfers. They lived in PA, VA, CA, NC, Guam, and finally NJ. He was raised Protestant, though his mother was a devout Catholic. She would drop the children off at a Protestant church at the insistence of her non-religious husband, then attend her own church. When Smith was 12, his father left the family, he then attended the Catholic church with his mother. He wished to prepare for the priesthood and in 1960 studied at Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary, Menominee, MI, then at Mt St Paul Seminary, Waukesha, WI. and Mt St Mary’s Seminary,… Go to person page >

Tune Information

Title: OUR GOD REIGNS
Composer: Leonard E. Smith (1974)
Meter: Irregular
Incipit: 34561 71766 55343
Key: B♭ Major
Copyright: © 1974, 1978, L. E. Smith, Jr., New Jerusalem Music. Composer has given permission for the hymn to be freely used from this website;© Leonard E. Smith, Jr./New Jerusalem Music, 225 Pine Mill Rd., Clarksboro, NJ 08020

Texts

Our God Reigns

How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him
who brings good news, good news;
Announcing peace, proclaiming news of happiness:
our God reigns, our God reigns!

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Notes

OUR GOD REIGNS is an effective tune that gains its strength and popularity from its powerful chorus, in which hammer-stroke chords (in the style of George F. Handel's oratorios) proclaim "Our God reigns!"
Dale Grotenhuis (PHH 4) harmonized the tune in 1984 for the Psalter Hymnal. OUR GOD REIGNS lends itself to either unison or part singing. One of the most widely used Scripture choruses of praise, "Our God Reigns" gained popularity in the Christian Reformed Church when it was a theme song for Christian Reformed Home Missions.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook, 1987

Timeline

Arrangements

Organ Solo

  • Oxford Hymn Settings for Organists Volume 4 Easter and Ascension: 29 Original Pieces on Hymns for Easter and Ascension
    Composer/Editors Rebecca Groom Te Velde; David Blackwell
    Published By: Oxford University Press (2015) pp. 74
  • Worship Songs for Organ: 50 Favorites Arranged by Simon Lesley
    Composer/Editor Simon Lesley
    Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (2002) pp. 21
  • Yesterday, Today and Forever
    Composer/Editor Larry Mayfield
    Published By: Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc. (1995) pp. 57

Piano Solo

  • Be Strong in the Lord: Songs and Hymns of Hope & Praise for Piano
    Composer/Editor Tom Fettke
    Published By: Word Music (2006) pp. 38
  • Piano Favorites for Easter: Including Palm Sunday and Holy Week
    Composer/Editor Fred Bock
    Published By: Fred Bock Music Company (1998) pp. 32
  • Bock's Best Volume V: 50 Outstanding Piano Arrangements of Hymns and Gospel Songs
    Composer/Editor Fred Bock
    Published By: Fred Bock Music Company (1996) pp. 26
  • Piano Praise & Worship: Preludes, Offertories, and Postludes Creative Piano Settings by Fred Bock
    Composer/Editor Fred Bock
    Published By: Fred Bock Music Company (1993) pp. 15

Piano and Organ Duet

  • Praise and Worship: Four Exciting Medleys
    Composer/Editor Fred Bock
    Published By: Fred Bock Music Company (1993) pp. 9

Instances

Instances (1 - 19 of 19)

Anglican Hymns Old and New (Rev. and Enl.) #319

Text

Baptist Hymnal 2008 #58

TextPage Scan

Celebremos Su Gloria #42

Christian Classics Ethereal Hymnary #1006

Complete Anglican Hymns Old and New #295

Complete Mission Praise #249

Himnario Adventista del Séptimo Día #70

TextPage Scan

One in Faith #851

Praise for the Lord (Expanded Edition) #967

Text InfoTune InfoTextAudio

Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #195

Redeeming Love #52

Text

Sing Joyfully #290

Audio

Small Church Music #841

Songs of Faith and Praise #243

Text

The Celebration Hymnal #372

TextAudio

The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration #229

TextPage Scan

This Far By Faith #99

TextAudioPage Scan

With Heart and Voice #30

Worship His Majesty #209

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