Lift up your Heads.

When a choir takes on E. L. Ashford’s "Lift up your Heads," they are stepping into a truly grand piece of scriptural storytelling. The anthem draws directly from Psalm 24, setting up a dramatic musical dialogue. The choir issues the majestic call to the ancient gates to open wide, while soloists step forward to ask the central question: "Who is the King of glory?" The full choir’s response—"The Lord strong and mighty"—is sung with a bold, declarative energy that fills the sanctuary.

What makes this arrangement especially moving for a congregation is its final destination. After the sweeping, classical-style exchanges about the King of glory, the music shifts and swells into the beloved hymn text, "All hail the pow'r of Jesus' name." It transforms a historical psalm of triumph into a direct, present-day act of worship, inviting everyone in the church to mentally join in crowning Him Lord of all. It is a fantastic choice for feast days, Christ the King Sunday, or any festive Mass where the choir wants to offer a powerful, through-composed anthem of praise.