515. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
Joachim Neander, 1650-80
Tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1829-75
1.
Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren!
Meine geliebete Seele, das ist mein Begehren.
Kommet zuhauf!
Psalter und Harfe, wacht auf!
Lasset die Musikam hören!
2.
Lobe den Herren, der alles so herrlich regieret,
Der dich auf Adelers Fittichen sicher geführet,
Der dich erhält,
Wie es dir selber gefällt.
Hast du nicht dieses verspüret?
3.
Lobe den Herren, der künstlich und fein dich bereitet,
Der dir Gesundheit verliehen, dich freundlich geleitet!
In wie viel Not
Hat nicht der gnädige Gott
Ueber dir Flügel gebreitet!
4.
Lobe den Herren, der deinen Stand sichtbar gesegnet.
Der aus dem Himmel mit Strömen der Liebe geregnet!
Denke daran,
Was der Allmächtige kann,
Der dir mit Liebe begegnet!
5.
Lobe den Herren, was in mir ist lobe den Namen!
Alles, was Odem hat, lobe mit Abrahams Samen!
Er ist dein Licht,
Seele, vergiss es ja nicht!
Lobende, schliesse mit Amen!
The hymn is based on Psalm 103:1-6 and Psalm 150. It is “a magnificent song of praise, probably the finest there is, when we consider the tune, and certainly the finest production of Neander’s.”
Neander was the first prominent writer of hymns in the Reformed Church of Germany which for a long time used only metrical versions of the Psalms in public worship. After a brief and stormy ministry, he died at the age of thirty.
For further comments on Neander see [Hymn 505].
For comments on Miss Winkworth see [Hymn 236].
MUSIC. LOBE DEN HERREN is a tune of great vigor and strength, yet simple of structure. It is very usable in a service of praise and thanksgiving and has been sung with great effect by large chorus choirs. The origin of the tune is uncertain. It appeared anonymously in Ander Theil des Erneuerten Gesangbuch, Stralsund, 1665, to the words, “Hast du denn, Liebster, dein Angesicht gänzlich verborgen,” by Ahasuerus Fritsch, which suggests a secular origin of the melody. It is believed, by some authorities, that Neander himself adapted it from an earlier chorale. The tune appears with many variants of melody and harmonization in different hymn books. The present form has been used since 1708.