Now Thank We All Our God
Encyclopedia
"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
(1586–1649), which in turn was inspired by Sirach
, chapter 50 verses 22–24, from the praises of Simon the high priest. It was translated into English in the 19th Century by Catherine Winkworth
.
Martin Rinkart was a Lutheran minister who came to Eilenburg
, Saxony
at the beginning of the Thirty years war. The walled city of Eilenberg became the refuge for political and military fugitives, but the result was overcrowding, and deadly pestilence and famine. Armies overran it three times. The Rinkart home was a refuge for the victims, even though he was often hard-pressed to provide for his own family. During the height of a severe plague in 1637, Rinkart was the only surviving pastor in Eilenberg, conducting as many as 50 funerals in a day. He performed more than 4000 funerals in that year, including that of his wife.
During this time, Rinkart was a prolific hymn writer. In Rinkart's "Jesu Hertz-Buchlein" (Leipzig, Germany: 1636), the hymn appears under the title "Tisch-Gebetlein," or a short prayer before meals. The exact date of "Nun danket alle Gott" is in question, but it is known that it was widely sung by the time the Treaty of Westphalia was signed in 1648.
The tune for "Now thank we all our God" is the Leuthen Chorale
and is attributed to Johann Crüger
and written circa 1647, is used in J.S. Bach's BWV 386 and BWV 657. The now-standard harmonisation was devised by Felix Mendelssohn
in 1840 when he adopted the hymn, sung in the now-standard key of F major
and with its original German lyrics, as the chorale to his second symphony
, known as the Lobgesang or Hymn of Praise. Also, the Late-Romantic German composer Sigfrid Karg-Elert
is one of the more recent composers to use this hymn, composing a 'Marche Triomphale' which is a famous piece in the classical pipe organ repertoire. After the Battle of Leuthen
in the Seven Years' War
, a soldier of the victorious Prussian army started to sing it, and soon all 25,000 joined in the hymn.
It is often used in Christian weddings and other joyous religious ceremonies, and in Germany
it is sung on occasions of national thanksgiving.
Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.
O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts and blessèd peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed;
And free us from all ills, in this world and the next!
All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given;
The Son and Him Who reigns with Them in highest Heaven;
The one eternal God, whom earth and Heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.
Martin Rinkart
Martin Rinkart, or Rinckart was a German clergyman and hymnist. He is best known for the text to "Now thank we all our God" , which was written ca. 1636...
(1586–1649), which in turn was inspired by Sirach
Sirach
The Book of the All-Virtuous Wisdom of Jesus ben Sira , commonly called the Wisdom of Sirach or simply Sirach, and also known as Ecclesiasticus or Siracides , is a work from the early 2nd century B.C. written by the Jewish scribe Jesus ben Sirach of Jerusalem...
, chapter 50 verses 22–24, from the praises of Simon the high priest. It was 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:...
.
Martin Rinkart was a Lutheran minister who came to 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 :...
, Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
at the beginning of the Thirty years war. The walled city of Eilenberg became the refuge for political and military fugitives, but the result was overcrowding, and deadly pestilence and famine. Armies overran it three times. The Rinkart home was a refuge for the victims, even though he was often hard-pressed to provide for his own family. During the height of a severe plague in 1637, Rinkart was the only surviving pastor in Eilenberg, conducting as many as 50 funerals in a day. He performed more than 4000 funerals in that year, including that of his wife.
During this time, Rinkart was a prolific hymn writer. In Rinkart's "Jesu Hertz-Buchlein" (Leipzig, Germany: 1636), the hymn appears under the title "Tisch-Gebetlein," or a short prayer before meals. The exact date of "Nun danket alle Gott" is in question, but it is known that it was widely sung by the time the Treaty of Westphalia was signed in 1648.
The tune for "Now thank we all our God" is the Leuthen Chorale
Leuthen chorale
The Leuthen Chorale was a tune originally composed in the seventeenth century by Johannes Crüger, tutor to the von Blumenthal family and Director of Music at the Nikolaikirche in Berlin. It was used as the setting for Martin Rinckart's hymn Nun danket alle Gott . This hymn is the basis for two J.S...
and is attributed to 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...
and written circa 1647, is used in J.S. Bach's BWV 386 and BWV 657. The now-standard harmonisation was devised by Felix Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Barthóldy , use the form 'Mendelssohn' and not 'Mendelssohn Bartholdy'. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians gives ' Felix Mendelssohn' as the entry, with 'Mendelssohn' used in the body text...
in 1840 when he adopted the hymn, sung in the now-standard key of F major
F major
F major is a musical major scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat . It is by far the oldest key signature with an accidental, predating the others by hundreds of years...
and with its original German lyrics, as the chorale to his second symphony
Symphony No. 2 (Mendelssohn)
The Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, op. 52, called the "Lobgesang" Symphony, was composed by Felix Mendelssohn. It was written in 1840 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the invention of printing, along with the less-known Festgesang "Gutenberg Cantata".The composer's description of the work...
, known as the Lobgesang or Hymn of Praise. Also, the Late-Romantic German composer Sigfrid Karg-Elert
Sigfrid Karg-Elert
Sigfrid Karg-Elert was a German composer of considerable fame in the early twentieth century, best known for his compositions for organ and harmonium.-Biography:...
is one of the more recent composers to use this hymn, composing a 'Marche Triomphale' which is a famous piece in the classical pipe organ repertoire. After the Battle of Leuthen
Battle of Leuthen
In the Battle of Leuthen or Lissa, fought on 5 December 1757, Frederick the Great's Prussian army used maneuver and terrain to decisively defeat a much larger Austrian army under Charles of Lorraine, thus ensuring Prussian control of Silesia during the Seven Years' War.- Background :While Frederick...
in the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
, a soldier of the victorious Prussian army started to sing it, and soon all 25,000 joined in the hymn.
It is often used in Christian weddings and other joyous religious ceremonies, and in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
it is sung on occasions of national thanksgiving.
Words
Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.
O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts and blessèd peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed;
And free us from all ills, in this world and the next!
All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given;
The Son and Him Who reigns with Them in highest Heaven;
The one eternal God, whom earth and Heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.