King of the universe, Lord of the ages

King of the universe, Lord of the ages. Michael Saward* (1932-2015). Published in its original form as the opening hymn in Songs of Worship (1980), this text was written at Beckenham more than ten years earlier (27 April 1970). The author was then the Church of England’s Radio and Television Officer, and the hymn was sung on 19 June that year at Dalton House, the women’s Bible and Missionary training college in Bristol, now part of Trinity College. It was then sung, as intended and usually printed, to A.F. Lvov*’s tune known variously as RUSSIAN ANTHEM, RUSSIA or REPHIDIM, which Saward calls ‘a regal piece of music, entirely appropriate for such powerful words, deliberately blending justice...