Michael Perry

Michael Arnold Perry (1942–1996) was a British Anglican clergyman, hymn writer, editor, and one of the leading contemporary hymn writers in the English‑speaking world in the late twentieth century. He was born on March 8, 1942, in Beckenham, Kent, England, and was initially educated in mathematics and physics before transferring to theological study at Oak Hill College. He later studied at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, and completed an M.Phil. at the University of Southampton. He was ordained in the Church of England in 1966 and served in parish ministry, youth work, and evangelistic outreach.

Perry served congregations in Saint Helens, Merseyside, and later as vicar in Bitterne, Southampton, rector in Eversley, Hampshire, and finally as vicar of Tonbridge, Kent, his home county, until his death. He was also chaplain and lecturer at the National Police Staff College and was active in church leadership, being elected to the General Synod of the Church of England and serving as chairman of the Church Pastoral Aid Society. Throughout his life he published widely on worship and Bible study and was closely associated with Jubilate Hymns Ltd, contributing to and editing influential hymn collections.

Perry wrote more than 300 hymns and versifications, many of which have become staples in modern worship. His work spans traditional congregational texts, scriptural paraphrases, and carols. Among his best‑known hymns is the Calypso Carol, beginning See him lying on a bed of straw, which he wrote while a student; it unexpectedly became widely popular on radio and in schools and churches. His texts also include O God Beyond All Praising, set to the tune THAXTED by Gustav Holst, and Blessed Be the God of Israel, a metrical paraphrase of the Benedictus. 

Perry’s hymns are characterized by rich biblical engagement, theological clarity, and accessibility for congregational singing. His influence on evangelical church music in the latter part of the twentieth century was significant, helping shape hymnody in many denominations. He died on December 9, 1996, from a brain tumor, leaving a legacy of enduring worship music still sung worldwide.