Wenn sie gläubig zu ihm spricht:
Herr, Herr, meine Zuversicht!
Based on John 14:19: “Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.”
The hymn was first published in Gellert’s Geistliche Oden und Lieder, 1757, with the title, “Easter Hymn.” It soon became popular in Germany and is widely used now among English speaking people. The hymn is often used at funerals, and sometimes at the dedication of a cemetery. Gellert, a saintly Professor of Philosophy and Poetry at Leipzig, had no fear of death. In the period of the so-called Enlightenment, when religion had become cold and rationalistic, and the old hymns had been watered down, he wrote one of our best and most evangelical hymns.
For comments on the translator, Frances E. Cox, see [Hymn 512].
The original poem was without the “Hallelujah.”
MUSIC. CHRIST IST ERSTANDEN is a traditional German melody dating to the 13th century. It was used with words beginning, “Christ ist erstanden.” Luther said of this tune: “after a time one tires of singing all other hymns, but the ‘Christ ist erstanden’ one can always sing again.” It is within easy range of all voices and therefore well adapted for unison singing, though it need not be limited to that.
544. Christ the Lord is risen again!
Michael Weisse, c. 1480-1534
Tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1829-78