Wir glauben all an einen Gott

Meter: 8.8. 8.8. 8.8. 8.8. 8.8.
Source: Latin, 14th c.
Proper Text: We All Believe in One True God (Wir glauben all an einen Gott)

Zahn No. 7971


The melody for Luther’s metrical elaboration upon the Apostles’ Creed predates Luther’s hymn by at least a century. It first appears in a Breslau manuscript dated 1417, together with a text that Luther reworked for the first stanza of his own hymn. The melody was joined to Luther’s text in a four-part setting by Johann Walter in his Geystliche gesangk Buchleyn, Wittenberg, 1524, No. 35.

Historical Settings

Johann Walter, 1524:

Lucas Osiander, 1586:

Johannes Eccard, 1597: