Martin Rinkart
Encyclopedia
Now Thank We All Our God
"Now thank we all our God" is a popular Christian hymn. It is a translation from the German "Nun danket alle Gott", written circa 1636 by Martin Rinkart , which in turn was inspired by Sirach, chapter 50 verses 22–24, from the praises of Simon the high priest...
" (Nun danket alle Gott), which was written ca. 1636. It was set to music by Johann Crüger
Johann Crüger
Johann Crüger was a German composer of well-known hymns.Crüger was born in Groß Breesen as the son of an innkeeper. He studied at the Lateinschule in Guben until 1613, after which he traveled to Sorau and Breslau and finally to Regensburg, where he received his first musical training from Paulus...
about 1647, and translated into English in the 19th century by Catherine Winkworth
Catherine Winkworth
Catherine Winkworth was an English translator. She is best known for bringing the German chorale tradition to English speakers with her numerous translations of hymns.-Biography:...
.
Rinkart was a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
at Eisleben
Eisleben
Eisleben is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is famous as the hometown of Martin Luther, hence its official name is Lutherstadt Eisleben. As of 2005, Eisleben had a population of 24,552...
and archdeacon at Eilenburg
Eilenburg
Eilenburg is a town in Germany. It lies in the district of Nordsachsen in the Free State of Saxony, approximately 20 km northeast of the city of Leipzig.- Geography :...
, where he was born and also died. He served there during the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
and a severe plague in 1637.
German pastor Martin Rinkart served in the walled town of Eilenburg during the horrors of the Thirty Years War of 1618-1648. Eilenburg became an overcrowded refuge for the surrounding area. The fugitives suffered from epidemic and famine. At the beginning of 1637, the year of the Great Pestilence, there were four ministers in Eilenburg. But one abandoned his post for healthier areas and could not be persuaded to return. Pastor Rinkhart officiated at the funerals of the other two. As the only pastor left, he often conducted services for as many as 40 to 50 persons a day—some 4,480 in all. In May of that year, his own wife died. By the end of the year, the refugees had to be buried in trenches without services.
Now Thank We All Our God
Yet living in a world dominated by death, Pastor Rinkart wrote the following prayer for his children to offer to the Lord:
- Now thank we all our God
- With hearts and hands and voices;
- Who wondrous things hath done,
- In whom this world rejoices.
- Who, from our mother's arms,
- Hath led us on our way,
- With countless gifts of love,
- And still is ours today.
External links
- Biography at the Cyber Hymnal
- Rinkart's article at Bach-Cantatas.com