Author Archives: Christopher Neuendorf

All Chorales from TLH Now Accounted For

As of now, all public-domain translations of historic Lutheran chorales from The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, are now available at the Free Lutheran Chorale-Book.


Unfortunately, there are many translations in The Lutheran Hymnal that remain under copyright and therefore cannot be used at the Free Lutheran Chorale-Book. Some of these have been retranslated, or alternative older translations have been used. Others will simply remain unavailable until a new translation can be made or the copyright expires. Even if the text cannot be included, a page with the tune and the original-language text has been provided. A complete current list of hymns from The Lutheran Hymnal that remain under copyright is available here.

Of course, there are also many texts from The Lutheran Hymnal that are not historic Lutheran chorales and are therefore ineligible for inclusion at the Free Lutheran Chorale-Book.

A complete list of the hymn texts found in The Lutheran Hymnal follows below, with historic chorales linked to their pages at the Free Lutheran Chorale-Book. Texts that are not Lutheran chorales have been marked with an asterisk (*), while those whose status as authentic chorales is debatable have been marked with a double asterisk (**). Texts of Lutheran chorales that remain under copyright have been marked with an obelisk (†); some of these have been provided with new or alternate translations. If any readers disagree with the designation of a given text as a chorale, doubtful or authentic, or if you are aware of a public domain translation that could be used, please bring this to our attention in the comments.

  1. Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty
  2. To Thy Temple I Repair*
  3. Lord Jesus Christ, Be Present Now
  4. God Himself Is Present
  5. Lord, Open Thou My Heart to Hear
  6. Kyrie, God Father in Heaven Above
  7. As We Begin Another Week
  8. Father, Who the Light This Day*
  9. O Day of Rest and Gladness*
  10. This Is the Day the Lord hath Made*
  11. Safely through Another Week*
  12. This Day at Thy Creating Word*
  13. Before Jehovah’s Awe-full Throne*
  14. All People that on Earth do Dwell*
  15. From All that Dwell below the Skies*
  16. Blessed Jesus, at Thy Word
  17. Oh, Worship the King*
  18. Lord, We Come Before Thee Now*
  19. All Praise to God, Who Reigns Above
  20. God of Mercy, God of Grace*
  21. Jehovah, Let Me Now Adore Thee
  22. Lord, When We Bend Before Thy Throne*
  23. Hallelujah! Let Praises Ring
  24. Lord of My Life, Whose Tender Care*
  25. I Will Sing My Maker’s Praises
  26. Praise the Almighty, My Soul, Adore Him
  27. Oh, Bless the Lord, My Soul*
  28. Now Let All Loudly Sing Praise
  29. Through All the Changing Scenes of Life*
  30. Oh, that I Had a Thousand Voices
  31. When All Thy Mercies, O My God*
  32. Redeemed, Restored, Forgiven*
  33. The Lord hath Helped Me Hitherto
  34. My Soul Now, Bless Thy Maker
  35. Songs of Praise the Angels Sang*
  36. Now Thank We All Our God
  37. Lord, ’Tis Not that I did Choose Thee*
  38. The Lord, My God, be Praised
  39. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
  40. The God of Abraham Praise*
  41. Wondrous King, All-Glorious
  42. O Thou Love Unbounded
  43. We Sing the Almighty Power of God*
  44. Ye Lands, to the Lord Make a Jubilant Noise**
  45. Now, the Hour of Worship O’er
  46. On What has Now been Sown*
  47. Savior, Again to Thy Dear Name We Raise*
  48. How Blest Are They Who Hear God’s Word
  49. Almighty God, Thy Word is Cast*
  50. Lord, Dismiss Us with Thy Blessing*
  51. Now May He Who from the Dead*
  52. Almighty Father, Bless the Word**
  53. Abide, O Dearest Jesus
  54. Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah*
  55. Come, Thou Precious Ransom, Come
  56. Jesus Came, The Heavens Adoring*
  57. O Bride of Christ, Rejoice
  58. O Lord, How Shall I Meet Thee?
  59. Hail to the Lord’s Anointed*
  60. Hark, a Thrilling Voice is Sounding*
  61. Comfort, Comfort, Ye My People
  62. Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel*
  63. On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry*
  64. Jesus, Thy Church with Longing Eyes*
  65. When Sinners See Their Lost Condition**
  66. Hark the Glad Sound! The Savior Comes*
  67. The Bridegroom Soon Will Call Us
  68. The Advent of Our King*
  69. Arise, Sons of the Kingdom
  70. Hosanna to the Living Lord*
  71. Watchman, Tell Us of the Night*
  72. Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers
  73. Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates
  74. Once He Came in Blessing
  75. Ye Sons of Men, Oh, Hearken
  76. A Great and Mighty Wonder*
  77. All My Heart This Night Rejoices
  78. Hail the Day So Rich in Cheer
  79. Rejoice, Rejoice, This Happy Morn
  80. All Praise to Thee, Eternal God
  81. O Jesus Christ, Thy Manger Is
  82. Come Rejoicing, Praises Voicing**
  83. Hark! What Mean Those Holy Voices*
  84. Christians, Awake, Salute the Happy Morn*
  85. From Heaven Above to Earth I Come
  86. Christ the Lord To Us is Born**†
  87. Joy to the World, the Lord is Come*
  88. This Night a Wondrous Revelation
  89. To Thee My Heart I Offer**†
  90. Come, Your Hearts and Voices Raising
  91. Let the Earth Now Praise the Lord
  92. Now Sing We, Now Rejoice
  93. O Lord, We Welcome Thee
  94. Hark! the Herald Angels Sing*
  95. Savior of the Nations, Come
  96. Oh, Rejoice, Ye Christians, Loudly
  97. Let Us All with Gladsome Voice
  98. Of the Father’s Love Begotten*
  99. Now are the Days Fulfilled
  100. Christians, Sing Out with Exultation**
  101. O Gladsome Light, O Grace*
  102. Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful*
  103. To Shepherds as They Watched by Night
  104. Now Praise We Christ, the Holy One
  105. Praise God the Lord, Ye Sons of Men
  106. The People That in Darkness Sat*
  107. We Christians May Rejoice Today
  108. We Sing,Immanuel, Thy Praise
  109. While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night*
  110. Across the Sky the Shades of Night*
  111. Thou Who Roll’st the Year Around*
  112. To God the Anthem Raising
  113. While with Ceaseless Course the Sun*
  114. Jesus! Name of Wondrous Love*
  115. O Blessed Day When First was Poured*
  116. To the Name of Our Salvation*
  117. The Ancient Law Departs*
  118. Father, Let Me Dedicate*
  119. Great God, We Sing That Mighty Hand*
  120. Help Us, O Lord! Behold, We Enter
  121. For Thy Mercy and Thy Grace*
  122. Now Let Us Come Before Him
  123. Our God, Our Help in Ages Past*
  124. O Lord, Our Father, Thanks to Thee
  125. The Old Year Now hath Passed Away
  126. Arise and Shine in Splendor
  127. As with Gladness Men of Old*
  128. Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning*
  129. Hail, Thou Source of Every Blessing*
  130. O Jesus, King of Glory
  131. The Star Proclaims the King Is Here
  132. O God of God, O Light of Light*
  133. Within the Father’s House*
  134. Songs of Thankfulness and Praise*
  135. ’Tis Good, Lord, to Be Here*
  136. Angels from the Realms of Glory*
  137. In Peace and Joy I Now Depart
  138. Thou Light of Gentile Nations
  139. In His Temple Now Behold Him*
  140. Jesus, I Will Ponder Now
  141. Enslaved by Sin and Bound in Chains*
  142. A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth
  143. O Dearest Jesus, What Law Hast Thou Broken
  144. Jesus, Grant that Balm and Healing
  145. Jesus, Refuge of the Weary*
  146. Lamb of God, Pure and Holy
  147. O Christ, Thou Lamb of God
  148. Lord Jesus Christ, My Life, My Light
  149. Come to Calvary’s Holy Mountain*
  150. Lord Jesus, Thou art Going Forth
  151. Christ, the Life of All the Living
  152. When o’er My Sins I Sorrow
  153. Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted*
  154. Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed*
  155. Sweet the Moments, Rich in Blessing*
  156. Not All the Blood of Beasts*
  157. There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood*
  158. Glory be to Jesus*
  159. Go to Dark Gethsemane*
  160. All Glory, Laud, and Honor*
  161. Hosanna, Loud Hosanna*
  162. Ride On, Ride On, in Majesty*
  163. The Death of Jesus Christ, Our Lord
  164. ’Twas on That Dark, That Doleful Night*
  165. Behold the Lamb of God!*
  166. Savior, When in Dust to Thee*
  167. O Darkest Woe
  168. The Royal Banners Forward Go*
  169. Jesus Christ, Our Lord Most Holy**†
  170. O Perfect Life of Love*
  171. Upon the Cross Extended
  172. O Sacred Head, Now Wounded
  173. Lord Jesus, We Give Thanks to Thee
  174. Throned upon the Awe-full Tree*
  175. When I Survey the Wondrous Cross*
  176. Behold the Savior of Mankind*
  177. Our Blessed Savior Seven Times Spoke
  178. We Sing the Praise of Him Who Died*
  179. On My Heart Imprint Thine Image
  180. Jesus, in Thy Dying Woes*
  181. Jesus, Pitying the Sighs*
  182. Jesus, Loving to the End*
  183. Jesus, Whelmed in Fears Unknown*
  184. Jesus, in Thy Thirst and Pain*
  185. Jesus, All Our Ransom Paid*
  186. Jesus, All Thy Labor Vast*
  187. Christ is Arisen
  188. Halleluia! Jesus Lives!**
  189. He is Arisen! Glorious Word!
  190. Christ the Lord is Risen Again
  191. Christ the Lord is Risen Today; Alleluia!*
  192. Awake, My Heart, With Gladness
  193. Christ the Lord is Risen Today*
  194. Abide with Us, the Day is Waning**
  195. Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands
  196. I Am Content! My Jesus Liveth Still
  197. Where Wilt Thou Go Since Night Draws Near
  198. He’s Risen, He’s Risen, Christ Jesus the Lord**†
  199. Jesus Christ is Risen Today, Alleluia!*
  200. I Know that My Redeemer Lives*
  201. Jesus Lives! The Victory’s Won
  202. Welcome, Happy Morning!*
  203. Morning Breaks upon the Tomb*
  204. Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain*
  205. The Day of Resurrection*
  206. Jesus Christ, My Sure Defense
  207. Like the Golden Sun Ascending
  208. Ye Sons and Daughters of the King*
  209. Who Is This that Comes from Edom*
  210. The Strife is O’er, the Battle Done*
  211. Lo, Judah’s Lion Wins the Strife**†
  212. A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing*
  213. Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise*
  214. Lo, God to Heaven Ascendeth
  215. Draw Us to Thee
  216. On Christ’s Ascension I Now Build
  217. Oh, Sing with Exultation
  218. See, the Conqueror Mounts in Triumph*
  219. The Head That Once was Crowned with Thorns*
  220. Jesus, My Great High Priest*
  221. Hark! Ten Thousand Harps and Voices*
  222. Look, Ye Saints, the Sight Is Glorious*
  223. We Thank Thee, Jesus, Dearest Friend
  224. Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord
  225. Come, Holy Spirit, Come*
  226. Come, Oh, Come, Thou Quickening Spirit
  227. Come, Holy Ghost, in Love*
  228. Oh, Enter, Lord, Thy Temple
  229. Holy Spirit, Hear Us*
  230. Holy Spirit, God of Love
  231. We Now Implore God the Holy Ghost
  232. Let Songs of Praises Fill the Sky*
  233. Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest
  234. Holy Ghost, with Light Divine*
  235. O Holy Spirit, Enter In
  236. Creator Spirit, by Whose Aid*
  237. All Glory Be to God on High
  238. All Glory Be to God Alone
  239. Come, Thou Almighty King*
  240. Father Most Holy, Merciful, and Tender*
  241. Father, in Whom We Live*
  242. Father of Heaven, Whose Love Profound*
  243. Oh, that I Had a Thousand Voices
  244. Glory Be to God the Father*
  245. God Loved the World So that He Gave
  246. Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty*
  247. God the Father, Be Our Stay
  248. Father of Glory, to Thy Name*
  249. Isaiah, Mighty Seer, in Days of Old
  250. Holy God, We Praise Thy Name**
  251. We All Believe in One True God
  252. We All Believe in One True God
  253. In One True God We All Believe**†
  254. Lord God, We All to Thee Give Praise
  255. Stars of the Morning, So Gloriously Bright*
  256. Around the Throne of God a Band*
  257. Jesus, Brightness of the Father*
  258. Lord of Our Life and God of Our Salvation
  259. Flung to the Heedless Winds
  260. O Lord, Look Down From Heaven, Behold
  261. Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Thy Word
  262. A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
  263. O Little Flock, Fear Not the Foe
  264. Preserve Thy Word, O Savior
  265. Thine Honor Save, O Christ, Our Lord
  266. O God, Our Lord, Thy Holy Word
  267. If God Had Not Been On Our Side
  268. Zion Mourns in Fear and Anguish
  269. O Lord, Our Father, Shall We be Confounded
  270. Jesus Calls Us; o’er the Tumult*
  271. Word Supreme, Before Creation*
  272. When All the World Was Cursed
  273. Sweet Flowerets of the Martyr Band*
  274. Praise We the Lord This Day*
  275. My Soul doth Magnify the Lord
  276. Come unto Me, Ye Weary*
  277. I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say*
  278. Delay Not, Delay Not, O Sinner, Draw Near*
  279. Today Thy Mercy Calls Us*
  280. Return, O Wanderer, Return*
  281. The Savior Calls; Let Every Ear*
  282. Christians, Come, in Sweetest Measures*
  283. God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage**
  284. Father of Mercies, in Thy Word*
  285. How Precious is the Book Divine*
  286. How Shall the Young Secure Their Hearts*
  287. That Man a Godly Life Might Live
  288. Lord, Help Us Ever to Retain
  289. The Law Commands and Makes Us Know*
  290. We Have a Sure Prophetic Word*
  291. Lamp of Our Feet Whereby We Trace*
  292. Lord Jesus Christ, With Us Abide
  293. O Holy Spirit, Grant Us Grace
  294. O Word of God Incarnate*
  295. The Law of God Is Good and Wise*
  296. Speak, O Lord, Thy Servant Heareth
  297. The Gospel Shows the Father’s Grace*
  298. Baptized Into Thy Name Most Holy
  299. Dear Father, Who hast Made Us All**†
  300. Dearest Jesus, We Are Here
  301. He that Believes and is Baptized
  302. The Savior Kindly Calls*
  303. This Child We Dedicate To Thee**
  304. An Awe-Full Mystery Is Here*
  305. Soul, Adorn Thyself with Gladness
  306. Lord Jesus Christ, Thou hast Prepared
  307. Draw Nigh and Take the Body of the Lord*
  308. Invited, Lord, by Boundless Grace*
  309. O Jesus, Blessed Lord, to Thee
  310. Thy Table I Approach
  311. Jesus Christ, Our Blessed Savior
  312. Lord Jesus Christ, Thou Living Bread
  313. O Lord, We Praise Thee
  314. Lord Jesus Christ, We Humbly Pray*
  315. I Come, O Savior, to Thy Table
  316. O Living Bread From Heaven
  317. Alas, My God, My Sins Are Great
  318. Before Thee, God, Who Knowest All†
  319. In Thee Alone, O Christ, My Lord
  320. Lord Jesus, Think on Me*
  321. O Faithful God, Thanks Be To Thee
  322. And Wilt Thou Pardon, Lord*
  323. With Broken Heart and Contrite Sigh*
  324. Jesus Sinners Doth Receive
  325. O Thou that Hear’st when Sinners Cry*
  326. Lord, to Thee I Make Confession
  327. Out of the Deep I Call*
  328. O Jesus, Lamb of God, Thou Art
  329. From Depths of Woe I Cry to Thee
  330. I Come to Thee, O Blessed Lord*
  331. Yea, as I Live, Jehovah Saith
  332. Arm These Thy Soldiers, Mighty Lord*
  333. Blessed Savior, Who hast Taught Me*
  334. Let Me Be Thine Forever
  335. My maker, Be Thou Nigh
  336. My God, Accept My Heart This Day*
  337. Our Lord and God, Oh, Bless This Day
  338. Thine Forever, God of Love*
  339. All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name*
  340. Awake, My Soul, to Joyful Lays*
  341. Crown Him with Many Crowns*
  342. Chief of Sinners Though I Be*
  343. How Lovely Shines the Morning Star
  344. Come, Let Us Join Our Cheerful Songs*
  345. Jesus, Lover of My Soul*
  346. Jesus! and Shall It Ever Be*
  347. Jesus, Priceless Treasure
  348. Jesus, Jesus, Only Jesus
  349. Jesus, Thy Boundless Love to Me
  350. Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee*
  351. Love Divine, All Love Excelling*
  352. O Savior, Precious Savior*
  353. Lord Jesus Christ, My Savior Blest
  354. In the Cross of Christ I Glory*
  355. Thou Art the Way; to Thee Alone*
  356. Jesus, Savior, Come to Me
  357. Jesus, Thou Art Mine Forever*
  358. Lamb of God, We Fall before Thee*
  359. Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies*
  360. Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing*
  361. O Jesus, King Most Wonderful*
  362. My Soul’s Best Friend, What Joy and Blessing
  363. To Our Redeemer’s Glorious Name*
  364. How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds*
  365. Jesus I Will Never Leave
  366. One Thing’s Needful; Lord, This Treasure
  367. Hail, Thou Once Despised Jesus*
  368. The Lord My Pasture Shall Prepare*
  369. All Mankind Fell in Adam’s Fall
  370. My Hope is Built on Nothing Less*
  371. Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness**
  372. Through Jesus’ Blood and Merit
  373. By Grace I’m Saved, Grace Free and Boundless
  374. Grace! ’Tis a Charming Sound*
  375. If Thy Beloved Son, O God
  376. Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me*
  377. Salvation unto Us has Come
  378. All that I Was, My Sin, My Guilt*
  379. I do Not Come Because My Soul*
  380. Thy Works, Not Mine, O Christ*
  381. I Know My Faith is Founded
  382. Lord, We Confess Our Numerous Faults*
  383. Seek Where Ye May to Find a Way
  384. Oh, How Great is Thy Compassion
  385. Now I have Found the Firm Foundation
  386. My Savior Sinners Doth Receive
  387. Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice
  388. Just as I Am, without One Plea*
  389. Not What These Hands have Done*
  390. Drawn to the Cross, which Thou hast Blest*
  391. Blessed Are the Sons of God*
  392. Blest Is the Man, Forever Blest*
  393. From God Shall Naught Divide Me
  394. My Faith Looks Up to Thee*
  395. O God, Thou Faithful God
  396. Oh, for a Faith That Will Not Shrink*
  397. O Love, Who Madest Me to Wear
  398. Renew Me, O Eternal Light
  399. Thee Will I Love, My Strength, My Tower
  400. Take My Life and Let It Be*
  401. Praise to Thee and Adoration
  402. O God, Forsake Me Not!
  403. Savior, Thy Dying Love*
  404. Soul, What Return Has God, Thy Savior
  405. I Gave My Life for Thee*
  406. Lord, as Thou Wilt, Deal Thou with Me
  407. Farewell I Gladly Bid Thee
  408. Jesus Christ, My Pride and Glory
  409. Let Us Ever Walk with Jesus
  410. Jesus, Lead Thou On**
  411. From Eternity, O God
  412. May We Thy Precepts, Lord, Fulfil*
  413. I Walk in Danger All the Way
  414. The Man Is Ever Blest*
  415. Lo, Many Shall Come From the East and the West**
  416. Oh, that the Lord Would Guide My Ways*
  417. How Can I Thank Thee, Lord
  418. My God, My Father, While I Stray*
  419. O’er Jerusalem Thou Weepest*
  420. My Jesus, As Thou Wilt
  421. Come, Follow Me, the Savior Spake
  422. Savior, I Follow On*
  423. Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken*
  424. My God, My Father, Make Me Strong*
  425. All Depends on Our Possessing
  426. The Lord My Shepherd Is*
  427. How Firm a Foundation, Ye Saints of the Lord*
  428. I Am Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus*
  429. Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart
  430. What Is the World to Me
  431. The King of Love My Shepherd Is*
  432. In Hope My Soul, Redeemed to Bliss Unending
  433. Jesus, My Truth, My Way*
  434. O God of Jacob, by Whose Hand*
  435. My Spirit on Thy Care*
  436. The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want*
  437. Who Trusts in God, a Strong Abode
  438. Almighty Father, Heaven and Earth*
  439. O God of Mercy, God of Might*
  440. Lord, Lead the Way the Savior Went*
  441. We Give Thee But Thine Own*
  442. Lord of Glory, Who hast Bought Us*
  443. O Lord of Heaven and Earth and Sea*
  444. Rise! To Arms! With Prayer Employ You
  445. Am I a Soldier of the Cross*
  446. Rise, My Soul, to Watch and Pray
  447. Fight the Good Fight with All Thy Might*
  448. Brief Life Is Here Our Portion*
  449. My Soul, Be on Thy Guard*
  450. Soldiers of Christ, Arise*
  451. Stand Up!–Stand Up for Jesus*
  452. The Son of God Goes Forth to War*
  453. We Are the Lord’s; His All-Sufficient Merit**
  454. Prayer Is the Soul’s Sincere Desire*
  455. Our Heavenly Father, Hear*
  456. Approach, Ny Soul, the Mercy Seat*
  457. What a Friend We Have in Jesus*
  458. Our Father, Thou in Heaven Above
  459. Come, My Soul, Thy Suit Prepare*
  460. Behold the Sure Foundation-Stone*
  461. Hark! the Church Proclaims Her Honor**
  462. I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord*
  463. For All the Saints Who from Their Labors Rest*
  464. Blest Be the Tie That Binds*
  465. Christ Is Our Corner-Stone*
  466. Christ, Thou Art the Sure Foundation*
  467. Built on the Rock the Church doth Stand**
  468. For All Thy Saints, O Lord*
  469. Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken*
  470. Rise Again, Ye Lion-Hearted
  471. Hark! the Sound of Holy Voices*
  472. Rise, Ye Children of Salvation
  473. The Church’s One Foundation*
  474. Zion Stands by Hills Surrounded*
  475. Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones*
  476. Ten Thousand Times Ten Thousand*
  477. Lord Jesus, Thou the Church’s Head
  478. The Saints on Earth and Those Above*
  479. Zion, Rise, Zion, Rise
  480. Lord of the Worlds Above*
  481. Through the Night of Doubt and Sorrow**
  482. Dear Lord, to Thy True Servants Give*†
  483. God of the Prophets, Bless the Prophets’ Sons*
  484. We Bid Thee Welcome in the Name*
  485. Lord Jesus, Who art Come
  486. O Thou Whose Feet have Climbed Life’s Hill*
  487. How Beauteous are Their Feet*
  488. Lord of the Harvest, Hear*
  489. Lord of the Church, We Humbly Pray*
  490. Pour Out Thy Spirit from on High*
  491. Send, O Lord, Thy Holy Spirit**
  492. Lord of the Living Harvest*
  493. Thou Who the Night in Prayer Didst Spend*
  494. Awake, Thou Spirit, Who Didst Fire
  495. From Greenland’s Icy Mountains*
  496. Hark! the Voice of Jesus Crying*
  497. The Morning Light is Breaking*
  498. Rise, Thou Light of Gentile Nations
  499. Look from Thy Sphere of Endless Day*
  500. May God Bestow on Us His Grace
  501. Soldiers of the Cross, Arise*
  502. Saints of God, the Dawn is Brightening*
  503. Rise, Crowned with Light, Imperial Salem, Rise*
  504. O Spirit of the Living God*
  505. O’er the Gloomy Hills of Darkness*
  506. Send Thou, O Lord, to Every Place*
  507. Spread, Oh, Spread, Thou Mighty Word**
  508. Thou Whose Almighty Word*
  509. There Still Is Room
  510. Savior, Sprinkle Many Nations*†
  511. Jesus Shall Reign Where’er the Sun*
  512. O Christ, Our True and Only Light
  513. Art Thou Weary, Art Thou Troubled*
  514. God Moves in a Mysterious Way*
  515. O Thou from Whom All Goodness Flows*
  516. In the Hour of Trial*
  517. The Will of God Is Always Best
  518. If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee
  519. Beloved, ‘It Is Well!'”*
  520. Commit Whatever Grieves Thee
  521. What God Ordains Is Always Good
  522. When in the Hour of Utmost Need
  523. Why Should Cross and Trial Grieve Me
  524. In Thee, Lord, have I Put My Trust
  525. As Pants the Hart for Cooling Streams*
  526. In God, My Faithful God
  527. Lord, It Belongs Not to My Care*
  528. If God Himself Be For Me
  529. I Leave All Things to God’s Direction
  530. Thy Ways, O Lord, with Wise Design*
  531. Come, Ye Disconsolate*
  532. Thy Way, Not Mine, O Lord*
  533. Nearer, My God, to Thee*
  534. God of My Life, to Thee I Call*
  535. Rejoice, My Heart, Be Glad and Sing
  536. Awake, My Soul, and with the Sun*
  537. Every Morning Mercies New*
  538. Now the Shades of Night are Gone*
  539. Come, Thou Bright and Morning Star
  540. With the Lord Begin Thy Task
  541. O Blessed Holy Trinity
  542. The Sun Arises Now
  543. When, Streaming from the Eastern Skies*
  544. While Yet the Morn is Breaking
  545. The Morning Sun is Brightly Beaming*†
  546. How Lovely Shines the Morning Star
  547. The Radiant Sun Shines in the Skies
  548. My Inmost Heart Now Raises
  549. God, Who Madest Earth and Heaven
  550. O Splendor of God’s Glory Bright*
  551. Sun of My Soul, Thou Savior Dear*
  552. Abide with Me! Fast Falls the Eventide*
  553. Through the Day Thy Love hath Spared Us*
  554. Now Rest Beneath Night’s Shadow
  555. The Day Is Past and Over*
  556. O God, Be with Us
  557. At Even, When the Sun Did Set*
  558. All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night*
  559. O Christ, Who Art the Light and Day
  560. Gracious God, Again is Ended
  561. Now that the Day hath Reached Its Close
  562. Round Me Falls the Night*
  563. The Sun’s Last Beam of Light is Gone
  564. O Trinity, Most Blessed Light*
  565. Savior, Breathe an Evening Blessing*
  566. Christ, by Heavenly Hosts Adored*
  567. O Lord, Whose Bounteous Hand Again*
  568. We Praise Thee, O God, Our Redeemer, Creator**
  569. O Lord, I Sing With Lips and Heart
  570. Praise, Oh, Praise, Our God and King*
  571. What Our Father Does Is Well
  572. Praise to God, Immortal Praise*
  573. To Thee, O Lord, Our Hearts We Raise*
  574. Come, Ye Thankful People, Come*
  575. Before the Lord We Bow*
  576. Judge Eternal, Throned in Splendor*
  577. God Bless Our Native Land*
  578. Lord, While for All Mankind We Pray*
  579. Almighty Lord, before Thy Throne*
  580. To Thee, Our God, We Fly*
  581. All Ye Who on This Earth Do Dwell
  582. God, Lord of Sabaoth, Thou Who Ordainest*
  583. Great King of Nations, Hear Our Prayer*
  584. Swell the Anthem, Raise the Song*
  585. I Fall Asleep in Jesus’ Wounds
  586. A Pilgrim and a Stranger
  587. Asleep in Jesus! Blessed Sleep*
  588. I Would Not Live Alway; I Ask Not to Stay*
  589. Oh, How Blest Are Ye Whose Toils are Ended
  590. In the Midst of Earthly Life
  591. Jesus, I Live to Thee*
  592. I Know of a Sleep in Jesus’ Name**
  593. Why do We Mourn Departing Friends*
  594. When My Last Hour Is Close at Hand
  595. Tender Shepherd, Thou hast Stilled**
  596. This Body in the Grave We Lay
  597. For Me to Live Is Jesus
  598. Who Knows when Death May Overtake Me
  599. My Course is Run, Praise God, My Course is Run
  600. O Lord, My God, I Cry to Thee
  601. All Men Living Are But Mortal
  602. It Is Not Death to Die*
  603. In the Resurrection**†
  604. Great God, What do I See and Hear?*
  605. The World Is Very Evil*
  606. O’er the Distant Mountains Breaking*
  607. Day of Wrath, O Day of Mourning*
  608. Let Thoughtless Thousands Choose the Road*
  609. Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying
  610. And will the Judge Descend*
  611. The Day is Surely Drawing Near
  612. That Day of Wrath, That Dreadful Day*
  613. Jerusalem the Golden*
  614. For Thee, O Dear, Dear Country*
  615. A Rest Remaineth for the Weary
  616. Forever with the Lord*
  617. There Is an Hour of Peaceful Rest*
  618. Jerusalem, My Happy Home*
  619. Jerusalem, Thou City Fair and High
  620. Lord, Who at Cana’s Wedding-Feast*
  621. O Father, All Creating*
  622. The Voice that Breathed o’er Eden*
  623. O Perfect Love*
  624. O Blessed Home Where Man and Wife**
  625. Oh, Blest the House, Whate’er Befall
  626. O Happy Home Where Thou art Loved Most Dearly**
  627. Gracious Savior, Gentle Shepherd*
  628. Shepherd of Tender Youth*
  629. Let Children Hear the Mighty Deeds*†
  630. Ye Parents, Hear What Jesus Taught
  631. Savior, Who Thy Flock art Feeding*
  632. In the Name which Earth and Heaven*
  633. O Lord of Hosts, Whose Glory Fills*
  634. Come, Jesus, from the Sapphire Throne*
  635. Here in Thy Name, Eternal God*
  636. Great Is the Lord, Our God*
  637. Founded on Thee, Our Only Lord*
  638. In Loud, Exalted Strains*
  639. For Many Years, O God of Grace*†
  640. God the Father, Son, and Spirit*†
  641. One Thy Light, the Temple Filling*
  642. Arise, O God, and Shine*
  643. Holy Father, in Thy Mercy*
  644. Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow*
  645. Behold, a Branch is Growing
  646. Silent Night! Holy Night!*
  647. O Little Town of Bethlehem*
  648. I Am Jesus’ Little Lamb**
  649. Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me*
  650. Behold a Stranger at the Door*
  651. Be Still, My Soul**
  652. I Lay My Sins on Jesus*
  653. Now the Light has Gone Away*
  654. Now the Day Is Over*
  655. I Pray Thee, Dear Lord Jesus
  656. Behold a Host, Arrayed in White
  657. Beautiful Savior**
  658. Onward, Christian Soldiers*
  659. Feed Thy Children, God Most Holy
  660. I’m But a Stranger Here*

DreamHost and Improved Performance

I have been using DreamHost for the Free Lutheran Chorale-Book almost from the site’s inception. Early on I had to upgrade from the cheapest shared hosting option to a VPS (Virtual Private Server). I had thought that with that upgrade I might see some performance gains, but the site kept moving at a tedious crawl, and no matter what optimizations I made, I could not get a significant boost in speed. I even began to consider other hosting options.

Today that changed.

In the course of attempting further optimizations, I narrowed my remaining speed issues down to the host itself. A diligent search revealed the culprit: my database was stored at a different data center from my domain, as explained here. I contacted support, and within an hour the site became blazingly fast. The database and website had been consolidated in the same data center, and I received a very courteous message from DreamHost support explaining what they had done. I could not be more pleased. Everything about administering this site is infinitely more pleasant than it ever has been before. I hope the improved speed may positively impact the user experience as well.

I post this chiefly in the hope that if anyone else is having issues with speed at a DreamHost site, this post may show up in search results and lead to others finding that the same solution works for them.

Thank you, DreamHost!

PSA: This Woman Is Not Elisabeth Cruciger!

As the first Lutheran woman hymn writer, and that with an illustrious entry within the very earliest of the Lutheran hymnals, Elisabeth Cruciger is a source of fascination for any who love the Lutheran chorales. Her hymn, “Lord Christ, God’s Only Dear Son” (“Herr Christ, der einig Gotts Sohn”), found in LSB, No. 402, as “The Only Son from Heaven,” is among the brightest lights of the Lutheran chorale tradition. This lovely composition melds the modified tune of a secular love song with a text of supreme devotion to God, reflecting the mystical tradition that contributed to and in many ways enlivened Luther’s Reformation.

But if you’ve ever done a Google search for Elisabeth Cruciger, you have certainly come across this portrait:

Olympia Fulvia Morata

Many assume, reasonably enough, that this is a portrait of Elisabeth Cruciger herself. The style, though, betrays it as a later piece. As it turns out, this is in fact a portrait of Italian humanist and Reformation supporter Olympia Fulvia Morata (see her entry on Wikipedia), who flourished some 20 years after Elisabeth Cruciger.

How did this portrait come to be associated with Elisabeth Cruciger? As best I can tell, there was a German-language publication on the women of the Reformation that included both Elisabeth Cruciger and Olympia Fulvia Morata. The latter’s portrait, attractive as it is, was used as cover art, and through the association of the two figures, the portrait began popping up on Google searches for Elisabeth Cruciger.

Does anyone have any more information on the provenance of this portrait? Is there any possibility of tracking down a genuine portrait of Elisabeth Cruciger herself?

Printable Version of “In Glory Shone the Holy One”

My last post was a year ago, and it included the text of my own hymn for the Transfiguration of Our Lord, “In Glory Shone the Holy One.” I have prepared a bulletin insert of the hymn for use in my own congregation this weekend, though I have set the text to the tune “Wo Gott zum Haus,” using the Setting in LSB. This tune and its setting are familiar to congregation members and organists alike, and it has the benefit of being an authentic composition in the Lutheran chorale tradition. Here is the insert:

Download PDF for 2-sided printing

I have experimented with these 2-sided printable bulletin inserts, and I have verified that inserts formatted like this one can be successfully printed from an iPhone using Apple’s built-in AirPrint. Printing from a desktop machine should present no problems. Just make sure the quality is set to 600 dpi. The insert can be printed 2-sided (flipped on short edge), then sliced in half.

If you have occasion to use the hymn, what do you think? Could the text be improved? What could I do to make printable resources here more usable?

A blessed Transfiguration to all!

A New Hymn for the Transfiguration: In Glory Shone the Holy One

Given the dearth of appropriate hymns for the Transfiguration of Our Lord (it is, after all, rather a recent observance), I was moved to write a hymn for the occasion a few years ago. The hymn was never sung anywhere, aside from my own car/office, nor was the text ever made public, as far as I can remember. It has remained hidden in my notes, but after reviewing it again I think it’s time to include it here. Because it is not a part of the authentic Lutheran chorale tradition, it will, like my other hymn, remain on the blog rather than getting its own page among the hymns. I hope, nevertheless, that it proves edifying to those who choose to peruse it. It is intended to be sung to the tune Veni Redemptor gentium, on which the tune for Luther’s hymn “Savior of the Nations, Come (Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland)” is based, but it can of course be sung to any tune in 8.8. 8.8.

Also, because of the unfortunate compulsory introduction of the Gutenberg text editor on the WordPress platform, I am unable to implement some of the formatting that has become standard on the site. I am therefore experimenting here with some alternate formatting that reflects 16th- and 17th-century hymnal printing conventions. Eventually I may try migrating the rest of the site to this format, with the possibility of more beautiful fonts. We’ll see.


Tune: Veni Redemptor gentium

  1. In glory shone the Holy One, / The Father’s sole-begotten Son, / Whose radiant face and raiment bright / Gave forth on earth His heav’nly light.
  2. On Him this wondrous deed was wrought / When Peter, James, and John He brought / Unto the holy mountain’s height, / There to behold the glorious sight.
  3. His hidden glory did appear / And filled the men with holy fear / As they with mortal eyes beheld / The light by darkness never quelled.
  4. There Moses and Elijah stood, / Who spake the Word as they were moved / By God’s own Spirit, Light divine, / That on us men His Word might shine.
  5. Then did the brilliant cloud descend / Which darkness cannot comprehend / And veiled the Savior in that light / Which hath no end and knows no night.
  6. From thence the Father’s voice came down: / This Man is My beloved Son / With whom I am well pleased indeed, / So hear His voice, His teaching heed.
  7. Then all was back as it had been / And Christ they saw alone again / Who said, To none the vision tell / Till I have conquered death and hell.
  8. Though hidden now from mortal eyes, / His light among us brightly shines / As through the Apostolic Word / It beams on all who’ve gladly heard.

Christopher J. Neuendorf, 2016

A New Hymn: “By Raising Lazarus from the Dead”

Duccio's Raising of LazarusA few years ago, a parishioner of mine was baptized on the eve of Palm Sunday, the Saturday before Holy Week. Though I am a Lutheran pastor, I was raised Greek Orthodox, and so I continue to think of the eve of Palm Sunday as the “Saturday of Lazarus.” This fits with the record of St. John’s Gospel, which places the resurrection of Lazarus immediately before the triumphal entry. Indeed, according to St. John, the reason for the adulating crowds was the great miracle just performed in Bethany.

Our hymnals, however, lack any appropriate hymns for the resurrection of Lazarus. I therefore took the opportunity to write a hymn for the occasion. I drew the themes and most of the actual language from the Greek Orthodox Apolytikion and Kontakion for the Saturday of Lazarus, reproduced here courtesy of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America website:

Apolytikion:

By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your Passion, You confirmed the universal resurrection, O Christ God! Like the children with palms of victory, We cry out to You, O Vanquisher of Death; Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord!

Kontakion:

Christ—the Joy, the Truth, and the Light of All, the Life of the World and the Resurrection—has appeared in his goodness to those on earth. He has become the Image of our resurrection, granting divine forgiveness to all.

My hymn is composed of three stanzas, the first and third based on the Apolytikion, the second on the Kontakion. It is rendered in the style of the Lutheran chorale, however, following the very common Reformation-era meter 8.7. 8.7. 8.8.7. The tune that I chose is “Es ist gewisslich,” which we associate most closely with the hymn of the Final Judgment, “The Day Is Surely Drawing Near,” itself based on the medieval hymn “Dies Irae.” Though it did not enter explicitly into my thinking, I suspect the connection of Lazarus’s resurrection to the general resurrection on the Last Day played at least subconsciously into my choice of tune.

Since this is a new composition and not a part of the genuine corpus of Lutheran chorales, I will not include it in the main website. It has been requested of me, however, that I make the hymn generally available, so I offer it here as a blog post. May the Lord Jesus, who is the Resurrection and the Life, be glorified thereby.


Tune: Es ist gewisslich

Download: For online viewing | For two-sided printing

  1. By raising Laz’rus from the dead
    Ere Thou began Thy Passion,
    Thou didst, O Lord, remove our dread
    Of death in glorious fashion,
    For in his life a glimpse we see
    Of wonders in eternity:
    All likewise shall awaken.

  2. Thou art, O Christ, the Life of all,
    Thou art the Resurrection.
    The blessèd dead shall heed Thy call
    And rise unto perfection.
    Thou who called Laz’rus from the grave
    Thyself didst rise, the world to save,
    Granting divine forgiveness.

  3. And so we raise victorious palms
    With praise none shall extinguish,
    And cry to Thee with hymns and psalms,
    Who death for us didst vanquish:
    “Hosanna in the highest heav’n!
    All blessing now to Him be giv’n
    Who in the Lord’s name cometh!”

Christopher J. Neuendorf, 2013


The 500th Anniversary of the Reformation: A Sobering Celebration

500 years ago this day, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther, Augustinian friar, District Vicar of the Reform Congregation of Augustinian Hermits in Meissen and Thuringia, Doctor of Sacred Theology and lecturer on Holy Scripture at the University of Wittenberg, preacher, priest, and pastor, nailed the 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church, the Church of All Saints, in Wittenberg. The purpose of the Theses was to engender debate and, it was to be hoped, to bring about genuine reform of the preaching of indulgences. Luther thus entered into a grand tradition of monastics who called their Mother Church to repentance, striving to bring her into conformity with her own laws and with the Law of God. But in the judgment of Rome, Luther’s criticism went too far. Instead of receiving his correction or allowing his teaching to continue as a school of thought within the Roman fold, Luther’s enemies demanded that he simply recant, with no argument, no debate, and certainly no correction of abuses. This Luther could not do for fear of offending the God whose Scriptures he was sworn to teach. Thus Pope Leo X excommunicated Luther and severed from the fellowship of Rome all who, like Luther, upheld the teachings of the Scriptures and Church Fathers that Luther had once again brought to light. The Lutheran Church, as a consciously distinct entity within broader Christendom, was born.

I find this sobering not because of the division that Pope Leo X and his adherents wrought, nor because I lament the fact that the Reformation had to happen. It is sobering because, as much as we might be drawing attention to the significance of this anniversary, our own sense of celebration and thanksgiving pales utterly in comparison with that of past generations.

Already in Luther’s lifetime the significance of October 31st, 1517, was acknowledged and commemorated. Robin Leaver records in his recent book The Whole Church Sings: Congregational Singing in Luther’s Wittenberg the signature of a letter written by Luther to Nicolas Amsdorf, dated October 31st, 1527: “Written at Wittenberg on the Day of All Saints [which liturgically begins on the evening of October 31st], in the tenth year after the indulgences had been trampled underfoot, in memory of which we are drinking at this hour.” Later generations would do far more than drink in memory of the posting of the 95 Theses. At the centenary in 1617, Reformation Day was celebrated as a major feast, on the order of Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost. The celebration thus began with Vespers on October 30th, continued with Mass and Vespers on October 31st and November 1st, and finally concluded with Mass on November 2nd. The best talent that the world at that time had to offer was commissioned to produce and perform elaborate and majestic settings of the Mass itself, psalms, and Lutheran hymns. The celebrations were no less widespread and jubilant a century later, when the bicentenary of 1717 was observed with preaching, prayer, and praise throughout Germany, once again as a three-day feast. The following video gives an idea of the passion that went into such celebrations.

The hymns sung at these Reformation celebrations possess such fire, such vigor! There are the great hymns of Luther himself: “Nun freut euch lieben Christen g’mein” (Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice), the joyous hymn of praise; “Der du bist drei in Einigkeit” (Thou What Art Three in Unity), translated from the ancient Vesper hymn; “Wir glauben all an einen Gott” (We All Believe in One True God), Luther’s Creed, and “Herr Gott, dich loben wir” (Lord God, Thy Praise We Sing), his Te Deum; the Psalms “Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott” (A Mighty Fortress Is Our God), “Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit” (Were God Not with Us at This Time), “Es wollt uns Gott genädig sein” (May God Bestow on Us His Grace), and “Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein” (O Lord, Look Down from Heaven, Behold), the latter two of which were most properly considered “battle hymns of the Reformation”; and, of course, “Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort” (Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Thy Word), with its strong words “against the Pope and the Turks, the two arch-foes of Christ and His holy Church.” Then there are the hymns by others: “Es ist das Heil uns kommen her” (Salvation unto Us Has Come), by Paul Speratus; “Nun lob, mein Seel, den Herren” (My Soul, Now Bless Thy Maker), by Johann Gramann; “O Herre Gott, dein Göttlich Wort” (O God, Our Lord, Thy Holy Word, not available here due to copyright issues, but found in TLH as No. 266), the 1527 Reformation celebration hymn. The treasures of Lutheran hymnody new and old were certainly wisely brought forth to the glory of God.

Where are we now? Yes, we have festivals. We publish books, produce films, and hold extra services. But as I consider my own community, I am struck at how our celebration of this most significant occasion is proceeding more or less under the radar. We live in a culture that feels itself virtually unaffected by the Reformation, by the work that cost Luther and so many of his followers so dear. The apathy, of course, extends far beyond Reformation Day. How many of our churches celebrate Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost for three days each with lavish services morning and evening, joyously attended by the entire community?

The old prayer for the Festival of the Reformation includes the acknowledgment and confession, “in sincere repentance, that by our manifold sins, ingratitude, indifference, and unbelief we have, indeed, deserved that Thou mightest justly hide Thy face from us and visit us with a famine of Thy Word.” Heaven forbid. “But we beseech Thee, O Lord, deal with us, not after our sins, but according to Thine infinite compassion. Let not the gates of hell prevail against Thy Church.”

May the 1000th Jubilee of the Reformation, October 31st, 2517, if Our Lord should tarry so long, find a Church ready to rival her fathers in fervor and zeal, faith and love, praise and adoration.

German Service 2014 at Holy Cross Davenport

Following the success of last year’s German Christmas Service at Holy Cross Lutheran Church of Davenport, we’re looking forward to hosting another one this year. The service is scheduled to take place tomorrow, Sunday, December 14, at 4 PM. The Rev. John Preus of Trinity Lutheran Church in Clinton, Iowa, is scheduled to preach.

Here is a PDF of the bulletin we’ll be using. Many of the hymns are available at the Free Lutheran Chorale-Book, including “Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland” (“Savior of the Nations, Come“), “Christum wir sollen loben schon” (“Christ Shall We Now Begin to Praise“), “Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr” (“All Glory Be to God on High“), “Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her” (“From Heaven Above to Earth I Come),” “Ein Kind geborn zu Bethlehem” (“A Child Is Born in Bethlehem“), “Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen” (“All My Heart This Night Rejoices“), and “Uns ist ein Kindlein heut geborn” (“To Us Is Born This Day a Child“). Here’s a video of last year’s service to give you an idea of what to expect:

Hope to see you there as we join in celebrating the birth of God in the flesh, the Lord Christ Jesus!

John the Baptist pointing to Christ

Comfort for Advent

“Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.” So opens Isaiah 40:1–11, the Old Testament lesson used by many congregations of the Missouri Synod this past Sunday, the second in Advent. For those using the historic lectionary, the same lesson will be heard this coming Sunday. And what more fitting to accompany such a lesson than Johann Olearius‘s hymn, “Comfort, Comfort Ye My People” (“Tröstet, tröstet meine Lieben“)?

In point of fact, “Comfort, Comfort Ye My People” was not written as an Advent hymn. Olearius prepared it for inclusion in his hymnal Geistliche Singe-Kunst, Leipzig, 1671. This resource introduced many new hymns by Olearius, hymns that tended to be brief but carefully constructed. They were meant to provide something to sing for those days in the Church Year that had not already had a large body of hymnody devoted to them. “Comfort, Comfort Ye My People” was written for the Feast of St. John the Baptist on June 24. The first lesson for that day was Isaiah 40:1–5, of which Olearius’s hymn is a paraphrase, and a skillful one at that, even in Catherine Winkworth’s masterful translation.

Stanzas 1 and 2 make clear the source of the comfort and peace which God speaks to His people: the forgiveness of their sins. “Tell her that her sins I cover,” says God to His preachers. With the forgiveness of sins comes the conversion of “pining sadness” into “ever-springing gladness.” Stanza 3 introduces John the Baptist, the “herald” who is “bidding all men to repentance,” as well as the motif of leveling: “Let the valleys rise to meet Him / And the hills bow down to greet Him.” Olearius’s wording suggests that God is speaking here not primarily of topography, but of the hearts of men. The haughty are to be made humble, bowing before God, and the humble are to be exalted, standing confident in His presence. This application is made more explicit in the fourth stanza, where the straight and the plain are interpreted as “hearts” made “true and humble,” though Olearius’s German speaks more in terms of a humble mode of living. In the end, the message of comfort through the coming of God’s kingdom in Christ will be made manifest to the entire world, as “all flesh shall see the token / That His Word is never broken.”

The tune is known in Lutheran hymnody by the name “Freu dich sehr,” for the text “Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele.” The tune originated in the Genevan Psalter as the melody for the metrical version of Psalm 42, but among English-speaking Lutherans, the tune is now most closely associated with Olearius’s hymn.

Though not originally intended for Advent, “Comfort, Comfort Ye My People” surely embodies both the penitence and the joyful anticipation so characteristic of that season. John the Baptist, after all, figures prominently in the Advent observance, and his entire preaching was a testimony to Christ. Though Christ is not mentioned by name in the hymn, the fulfillment of Isaiah 40 in the preaching of John the Baptists reveals that Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God who by His sacrifice takes away the sin of the world, is the one who brings comfort to Jerusalem and to the world.

May Olearius’s hymn, and the prophecy on which it is based, bring comfort to your household this Advent season.