SEA SHANTY: Christ is King (Psalm 2) – Wellerman

More Christian sea shanties, please!

Jun 18, 2025

In the vein of Brian Sauvé’s “The Voyage of St. Brendan,” or Christ Church’s “To the Word” shanties (here and here), or maybe even (though it’s not a sea shanty) Sacred Harp’s “Glory Hallelujah,” here’s my version of Psalm 2, set to the tune of “Wellerman.”

You can download a PDF of the setting below — and here’s a video of “Christ Is King” being lustily and manfully sung by a group of rowdy shantymen:

Christ Is King (Psalm 2) – Wellerman

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Christ is King (Psalm 2) – Wellerman

REFRAIN
Why do the nations rage,
And all the peoples plot in vain?
One day, every tongue will praise
And every knee will bow

The kings of the earth have set themselves
And rulers join in dark cartels
Against the Lord they would rebel
They’ve turned from Christ the King (huh)

[refrain]

“Let us burst their bonds,” they say
“And let us cast their cords away”
The lightest yoke they try to break
Denying Christ is King (huh)

[refrain]

He who sits in the heavens laughs
He mocks them as the blowing chaff
He terrifies them in his wrath
By saying “Christ is King” (huh)

[refrain]

I will tell of the decree
“You are my Son,” he said to me
“Today I have begotten thee
In Zion is my King” (huh)

[refrain]

“Ask of me, and I will make
All nations yours alone to take
The ends of the earth you shall retain
And rule them as their King” (huh)

[refrain]

He’ll break them with an iron rod
The winepress of his wrath be trod
He’ll dash them like a broken pot
Rejoice, for Christ is King (huh)

[refrain]

Now, therefore, O kings, be wise
You rulers of the earth, advised
To serve the Lord with fear-filled eyes
Beware, for Christ is King (huh)

[refrain]

Kiss the son, lest he be mad,
His anger’s swift, for your way is bad
In him are grace and refuge had
Rejoice, for Christ is King (huh)

Many thanks to Michael E. Owens for the arrangement and setting! If this is your thing (and it really should be), you can order a copy of this setting, and a whole bunch of other Christian sea shanties, in Pressing On: Shanties Reborn. It can also be found in The Forge’s Family Worship Songbook.

Order “Pressing On: Shanties Reborn”