Handbook to the Mennonite Hymnary

This hymn, with its magnificent tune, has long been known as the “King of Chorals.” (For the “Queen of Chorals” see No. 529). Percy Dearmer writes of this choral: “There is no other hymn like this, surely the grandest and most thrilling, both in words and music—and both words and music by the same man.” It is based on the parable of the wise and foolish virgins in Matt. 25:1-13, and on Rev. 19:6-9 (the marriage of the Lamb); 21:22; 1 Cor. 2:9; Ezek. 3:17; and Isa. 52:8.

Nicolai, an ardent Lutheran and influential preacher, was fierce in his denunciation of both Calvinism and Roman Catholicism. He held pastorates in various places. From 1601 until his death, he was chief pastor of St. Katherine’s, Hamburg. It was during his five years at Unna, Westphalia, that a terrible pestilence swept through the community, claiming the lives of over 1300 people. Nicolai’s parsonage overlooked the church yard where the burial of the victims was taking place continually. These scenes of sorrow and death moved him to write this great judgment hymn which he entitled, “Of the Voice at Midnight, and the Wise Virgins who meet their Heavenly Bridegroom.”

For comments on Miss Winkworth, translator, see Hymn 236.

MUSIC. WACHET AUF, one of the greatest and most solemn melodies of evangelical Christendom, was composed by Nicolai. The present setting is by Michael Praetorius, 1571-1621, a writer on the theory of music and a composer of note. The melody was used by Bach in one of his cantatas and Mendelssohn used it in his St. Paul. Handel used the seventh and eighth lines of the melody with great effect in the “Hallelujah Chorus,” with the phrase, “The kingdom of this world.”

523. Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates

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One of our finest German Advent hymns, based on Psalm 24. It was written for use on the first Sunday in Advent.

Georg Weissel was born at Domnau, Prussia. He was a student of theology, a teacher, and, from 1623, until his death in 1635, the pastor of Roszgärt’schen Church in Königsberg. He is the author of twenty hymns, this being probably the best and most widely used. Our version is a translation of stanzas 1, 2, 3, and 5 of the original.

For comments on Catherine Winkworth see Hymn 236.

MUSIC. MACHT HOCH DIE TÜR is one of several chorale tunes, probably the most popular, to which this hymn is set.

The composer, Johann Freylinghausen, 1670-1739, was born at Gandersheim, the son of the town’s burgomaster. He was educated at Jena. After the death of his father-in-law, August Francke, Pietist leader, he became the latter’s successor as director of the Paedagogium and the Orphanage in Halle and pastor in full charge of St. Ulrich’s. Freylinghausen was a musician and wrote some 22 church melodies but his outstanding work consists of his two collections of hymns: Geistreiches Gesangbuch, 1704, and Neues Geistreiches Gesangbuch, 1714. The former contains 683 hymns and 173 melodies, and the latter, 815 hymns and 154 melodies.

524. O Son of God, we wait for Thee

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In clear and concise language, the hymn voices the hope for the coming of Christ.

Phillipp Friedrich Hiller, son of a Lutheran Pastor, was born at Mühlhausen, Württemberg. To escape the French invaders, he fled with his parents, at the age of 8, to Heidenheim. In 1713, he went to the Klosterschule, Denkendorf, where Bengel had a decided influence upon him. In 1748, he became the pastor in Steinheim, where, after three years of faithful service, a throat disease afflicted him, resulting in the loss of his voice. No longer able to preach, he gave himself to Bible study and writing, composing more than 100 hymns, and publishing a volume of religious poetry, Geistliches Liederkästlein.

The translation is by Joseph Augustus Seiss, a Lutheran minister, born at Graceham, Md., and educated at Gettysburg College and Seminary. Seiss was a noted pulpit orator in his denomination and held pastorates in Virginia, Maryland, and, finally, in Philadelphia.

MUSIC. GASTORIUS is ascribed by some authorities to Johann Pachelbel of Nürnberg, a contemporary of Gastorius. The melody appeared in the Auserlesenes Weimarisches Gesangbuch, 1681. Zahn, on the basis of careful study of the sources, does not hesitate to credit its composition to Gastorius, about 1675. It was originally set to a hymn by Samuel Rodigast, “Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan.”

Severus Gastorius, cantor in Jena, was born about 1650. Details concerning his life are not available.

CHRISTMASTIDE

525. All my heart this night rejoices

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Paul Gerhardt’s beautiful Christmas poem, in 15 stanzas, appeared in Johann Crüger’s Praxis Pietatis Melica, Berlin, 1653, together with a tune composed for it by Crüger. The present hymn is a selection of stanzas 1, 7 and 8, from Catherine Winkworth’s translation. The original 15 stanzas are printed here in full for the benefit of those who may wish to read the whole hymn and study its structure.

For comments on Paul Gerhardt see Hymn 134.

For comments on Miss Winkworth see Hymn 236.

MUSIC. WARUM SOLLT ICH MICH DENN GRÄMEN, also called, “Ebeling,” and “Bonn,” soon superseded Crüger’s tune. It was originally set to another of Gerhardt’s hymns, “Warum sollt ich mich denn grämen,” from whence the tune derives its name. The composer, Johann Georg Ebeling, 1620-76, was cantor of St. Nicholas Cathedral, Berlin, and director of music at the Grayfriars Gymnasium there, succeeding Johann Crüger to these positions, in 1662. Six years later, he became Professor of Music at the Carolinen Gymnasium, Stettin.

The harmonization is by W. H. Hohmann, Professor of Music, Bethel College, and co-editor of the Hymnary.

526. A great and mighty wonder

This is one of a half dozen or more hymns in our book that have come down from the ancient Eastern or Greek Church. (Other hymns from this period are Nos. 34, 113, 115, 143, and 398.)

St. Germanus was born and died in Constantinople. He lived to be a hundred years old. He became an influential leader in the church, and served, for a time, as Patriarch, or Bishop of Constantinople.

For this translation, we are indebted to John M. Neale, English hymnologist and classical scholar. Neale possessed extraordinary linguistic skill and did more than anyone else to make available to English speaking people some of the rich treasure of Greek and Latin hymnody.

MUSIC. ES IST EIN’ ROS’ ENTSPRUNGEN, also known as “Rosa Mystica,” is a traditional German melody, originally set to a well-known carol beginning with the stanza:

It is an attractive and interesting tune, of irregular rhythm. The present setting was made by Michael Praetorius, 1517-1621, German composer and Kapellmeister.

For comments on Praetorius see Hymn 248.

527. From heaven above to earth I come

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This children’s Christmas carol, based on the second chapter of Luke, was written by Martin Luther for his little son Hans for the Christmas celebration in his own home, 1534. Luther’s instructions were that the first seven verses were to be sung by a man dressed as an angel, whereupon the children would greet him with the singing of verses eight to fifteen. The present hymn is a selection of stanzas 1, 2, 3, 8, 13, and 15.

For comments on the translator, Miss Winkworth, see Hymn 236.

MUSIC. VOM HIMMEL HOCH, also by Luther, was early associated with the words of the carol and has become one of the best known chorales. J. S. Bach made several settings of the tune, one of them in his Christmas Oratorio.

NEW YEAR

528. For Thy mercy and Thy grace

Originally in seven stanzas, this hymn was first published, 1843, in the Church of England Magazine, under the title, “A Hymn for the Commencement of the Year.” It is a first-rate quality hymn for the New Year.

The author, Henry Downton, was born in Pulverbatch, Shropshire, England. In 1840, he graduated from Cambridge where his father was sub-librarian of Trinity College. After serving as curate of St. John’s Chatham, Downton became English chaplain at Geneva in 1857, returning to England in 1873 to become rector of Hopton, Suffolk. In Geneva, he had become acquainted with the hymnody of the Swiss and French Churches, and translated a number of their hymns into English. He published Hymns and Verses, Original and Translated, 1873.

MUSIC. CULBACH appeared in Heilige Seelenlust, Breslau, 1657, set to the hymn, “Ach wann kommt die Zeit heran.” The melody, simple in structure and well within the pitch range of all voices, is admirably adapted to congregational singing, in unison or in parts. The composer is unknown.

EPIPHANY

529. How brightly shines the Morning Star

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Known as the “Queen of the Chorales.” The words and music were written in 1527 by the Lutheran pastor, Philipp Nicolai, during the same pestilence that inspired “Wachet auf,” the “King of Chorales” (No. 522). Nicolai, in deep meditation concerning the suffering around him, started writing the hymn one morning, and forgetting his noonday meal, worked on till he had finished it in the late afternoon. It was first published in the author’s Freuden-Spiegel, Frankfurt, 1599, under the title, “A Spiritual bridal song of the believing soul, concerning her Heavenly Bridegroom, founded in the 45th Psalm of the prophet David.” Catherine Winkworth wrote of the chorale:

So popular did it soon become, that its tune was often chimed by city chimes, lines and verses from it were printed by way of ornament on the common earthenware of the country, and it was invariably used at weddings and certain festivals.

For comments on Miss Winkworth see Hymn 236.

MUSIC. NICOLAI is usually known by the first line of the words for which it was written, “Wie shön leuchtet der Morgenstern.” It is a magnificent chorale tune. Mendelssohn used the tune in his Christus, and Bach made a harmonization of it.

530. As with gladness men of old

A popular Epiphany hymn, written on Epiphany Day, about 1858, while the author was sick in bed. After reading the Gospel of the day, Dix started writing this hymn and finished it by evening.

For comments on William Chatterdon Dix, see Hymn 78.

MUSIC. DIX is an abridgement of a melody written by Conrad Kocher and first published in his Stimmen aus dem Reiche Gottes, Stuttgart, 1838.

For comments on Kocher see Hymn 51.

LENT

531. Out of the depths I cry to Thee

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A metrical version of Psalm 130. It is considered by many to be Luther’s best production and Julian ranks it with the finest German psalm versions. The hymn was first published in Luther’s Etlich Cristlich Lider, Wittenberg, 1524, and in his Eyn Enchiridion, Erfurt, 1524, in four stanzas. It was then rewritten and expanded into five stanzas and in this form published in Johann Walther’s Geystliche Gesangk Buchleyn, Wittenberg, 1524, and again in Luther’s later work, Christliche Geseng zum Begrebnis, Wittenberg, 1542. It is appropriate for use at a Christian burial, as well as other occasions, and was sung at Halle, in 1546, while Luther’s body was being brought from Eisleben to Wittenberg for burial.

The “depths” from which the psalmist cries to God for deliverance, are not so much physical and psychical as moral and spiritual. The writer is conscious of his sinfulness, as well as the sinfulness of his people and sees that there is no help except through penitence and acceptance of the mercy and forgiveness of God.

The first three stanzas from Catherine Winkworth’s translation were selected for use here.

For comments on Miss Winkworth see Hymn 236.

MUSIC. AUS TIEFER NOT, also called “De Profundis,” and “Luther’s 130th,” is attributed to Luther himself. J. S. Bach’s cantata, Aus tiefer Not schrei’ ich zu Dir, is built on this tune. Luther believed in the power of music to drive away the Evil One and frequently, when anxious about the fate of his cause, he would say to his companions, “Come, let us confound the devil and all his followers, by singing together the psalm, ‘Aus tiefer Not.’”

532. Out of the depths I cry to Thee

For comments on this hymn see No. 531.

MUSIC. AUS TIEFER NOT became popular in our churches through its inclusion in the Gesangbuch mit Noten. The tune is credited to J. M. Biermann, an American writer of tunes of the gospel hymn type. He was musical editor of Hosianna, Cleveland, 1876, published by the Evangelical Church. The composer seems to have borrowed from the tune “Macht Hoch die Tür,” No. 523. Hosianna contains about 35 of his tunes and arrangements.

533. Jesus, I never can forget

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These are stanzas 1, 5, and 6 of the original ten. The hymn is based on John 1:29: “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”; and Isa. 53:7: “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” It was published in the third edition of Johann Crüger’s Praxis Pietatis Melica, in 1648.

For comments on Paul Gerhardt see Hymn 134.

Our hymn consists of stanzas 5 and 6, translated by J. Gambold. Biographical data concerning Gambold has not been found.

MUSIC. EIN LAMM GEHT HIN, also called “An Wasserflüssen Babylon,” first appeared in the third part of the Strassburg Kirchenampt, 1525, where it is set to Wolfgang Dachstein’s hymn on Psalm 137, beginning with the stanza:

The tune appeared anonymously but may have been composed, as some authorities believe, by Dachstein himself.

534. Ah, dearest Jesus, how hast Thou offended

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