Many of the traditional dimensions of our Christmas celebrations come from the Victorian era in England. We picture light Christmas snow falling on carolers as they sing their way through London’s streets on the way to a candle-lit Christmas Eve service in St. Paul’s Cathedral. And so many of the most familiar Christmas carols come from late 18th century England, like “Once in Royal David’s City” and “See Amid the Winter’s Snow.” There are many exceptions, like Charles Wesley’s 18th century “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing” and Isaac Watts’ “Joy to the World.”
But there are wonderful Christmas songs that have their origins long before Victorian England, even further than the years of the Wesleys. Examples include Johannes Olearius’ “Comfort, Comfort Ye Me People,” Martin Luther’s “From Heaven High I Come to You,” and even some from other countries, like the Polish carol “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly” and the French song “Angels We Have Heard on High.” We can go back even further to pre-Reformation times to find the original texts of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” and “Good Christian Men, Rejoice.”
Not surprisingly, in most modern hymnals there are more hymns about Christmas than any other topic, except perhaps hymns about Jesus’ death and resurrection. Not only is Christianity the one religion that is most characterized by congregational singing. Within that, it is these two points in the earthly ministry of the incarnate Son of God about which we find the greatest focus in Christian music. That should be no surprise since, as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:3-5, these are the very center of the gospel itself.
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
Since most churches will observe Advent and Christmas and Epiphany, with two to four hymns sung at each service, adding Christmas Eve and possibly Sunday evening services, there needs to be a large number of hymns from which we can draw. And so those sections in our hymnals give us many possibilities, including the opportunity to expand our congregation’s repertoire by teaching them additional songs beyond those they already know, including those from earlier centuries.
This week’s hymn study is an example of the Christmas chorales (not technically “carols”) from 17th century post-Reformation Germany. It is “Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen” (closely translated as “Merrily My Heart Shall Leap”). This wonderful seven-stanza Christmas composition, “All My Heart This Night Rejoices” written in 1653 has come down to us from the great Lutheran hymn-writer Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676) with music to match it written in 1666 by Johann Ebeling (1637-1676). It is one of those which ought to be added to evangelical churches’ repertoire, and might even become a favorite!
Paul Gerhardt is well represented in hymnals as the famous author of man Lutheran hymns. He was Born in Saxony, Germany and studied theology and hymnody at the University of Wittenberg. He then became a tutor in Berlin, where he became friends with another famous Lutheran, Johann Crüger. He served the Lutheran parish of Mittenwalde near Berlin (1651-1657) and the great St. Nicholas’ Church in Berlin (1657-1666). Ordained as a Lutheran pastor, he frequently preached in Berlin. Friederich William, the Calvinist elector, had issued an edict that forbade the various Protestant groups to fight each other. Although Gerhardt did not want strife between the churches, he refused to comply with the edict because he thought it opposed the Lutheran “Formula of Concord,” which condemned some Calvinist doctrines. Consequently, he was released from his position in Berlin in 1666. With the support of friends he became archdeacon at Lübben in 1669 and remained there until his death.
Gerhardt experienced much suffering in his life. The outward circumstances of his life were for the most part gloomy. His earlier years were spent amid the horrors of the Thirty Years War, which lasted from 1618 to 1648. He did not obtain a settled position in life until he was 44 years of age. He was unable to marry until four years later. His wife, after a long illness, died during the time that he was without office in Berlin, while of the five children of the marriage only one passed the period of childhood. The sunniest period of his life was during the early years of his Berlin ministry (1657-1663), when he enjoyed universal love and esteem, while his latter years at Lübben as a widower with one surviving child were passed among a rough and unsympathizing people.
In the history of hymnody, Gerhardt is considered a transitional figure. He wrote at a time when hymns were changing from a more objective, confessional, and corporate focus to a pietistic, devotional, and personal one. Like other German hymns, Gerhardt’s were lengthy and intended for use throughout a service, a group of stanzas at a time. More than 130 of his hymns were published in various editions of Cruger’s “Praxis Pietatis Melica,” the “Crüger-Runge Gesangbuch” (1653), and Ebeling’s “Das andere Dutzeud geistliche Andachtslieder Herrn Paul Gerhardts” (1666-1667). John Wesley and Catherine Winkworth both made famous English translations of Gerhardt’s texts.
Gerhardt ranks, next to Luther, as the most gifted and popular hymnwriter of the Lutheran Church. In 1842, George Gottfried Gervinus the well-known historian of German literature, wrote this about Gerhardt.
He went back to Luther’s most genuine type of hymn in such manner as no one else had done, only so far modified as the requirements of his time demanded. In Luther’s time the belief in Free Grace and the work of the Atonement, in Redemption and the bursting of the gates of Hell was the inspiration of his joyful confidence; with Gerhardt it is the belief in the Love of God. With Luther the old wrathful God of the Romanists assumed the heavenly aspect of grace and mercy; with Gerhardt the merciful Righteous One is a gentle loving Man. Like the old poets of the people he is sincerely and unconstrainedly pious, naive, and hearty; the blissfulness of his faith makes him benign and amiable; in his way of writing he is as attractive, simple, and pleasing as in his way of thinking.
With a firm grasp of the objective realities of the Christian Faith, and a loyal adherence to the doctrinal standpoint of the Lutheran Church, Gerhardt is yet genuinely human; he takes a fresh, healthful view both of nature and of mankind. In his hymns we see the transition to the modern subjective tone of religious poetry. Sixteen of his hymns begin with, “I.” Yet with Gerhardt it is not so much the individual soul that lays bare its sometimes morbid moods, as it is the representative member of the Church speaking out the thoughts and feelings he shares with his fellow members; while in style Gerhardt is simple and graceful, with a considerable variety of verse form at his command, and often of bell-like purity in tone.
The length of many of Gerhardt’s hymns (“A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth” is 10 stanzas of 10 lines; “All My Heart This Night Rejoices,” 15 stanzas of 8 lines, etc.), and the somewhat intricate meters of others, have caused his hymns to be less used in English than otherwise might have been the case. But a considerable proportion have come in some form or other into English hymnbooks. A large selection, translated with scrupulous faithfulness but not retaining much of the lyric grace of the originals, was published by the Rev. John Kelly, in 1867, as “Paul Gerhardt’s Spiritual Songs;” while many individual hymns have been translated by John Wesley, Catherine Winkworth, Miss Cox, Miss Borthwick, and many others.
Catherine Winkworth translated seven of its fifteen stanzas into English and published in the second volume of her “Lyra Germanica” in 1858. Her translation sets in in a most unique meter: 8.3.3.6.8.3.3.6. and will most likely be the only tune in one’s hymnal for this meter. Both text and meter fall into a pattern of two sets of phrases, each consisting of the 8.3.3.6. pattern. Many times, we will find hymn texts directed to the Lord, either in prayer or in praise. Here the words are addressed in a general way to those around to whom we render our joy profession of faith in a spirit of gladness.
Stanza 1 sets the picture and the mood before us. It is the night of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. Angels’ singing fills the air and those understanding its significance have hearts full of joy and gladness at the remembrance of that blessed event.
All my heart this night rejoices
As I hear
Far and near
Sweetest angel voices.
“Christ is born,“their choirs are singing
Till the air
Everywhere
Now with joy is ringing.
Stanza 2 celebrates what Jesus’ coming has accomplished, not just at Bethlehem or Calvary, but most fully in its anticipated completion at His return. The incarnation marked the entrance of a divine conqueror into the realm Satan had claimed as his, but from which he will be ultimately and eternally banished.
Forth today the Conqueror goeth,
Who the foe,
Sin and woe,
Death and hell, o’erthroweth.
God is man, man to deliver;
His dear Son
Now is one
With our blood forever.
Stanza 3 sings of the present benefit that is ours because of this proof of God’s redeeming love for us, His adopted children. We no longer have any reason to “dread God’s displeasure,” since Jesus has taken on Himself the punishment we deserved. Since He proclaimed from the cross, “It is finished,” we can be assured that nothing can ever separate us from His love.
Shall we still dread God’s displeasure,
Who, to save,
Freely gave
His most cherished treasure?
To redeem us, He hath given
His own Son
From the throne
Of His might in heaven.
Stanza 4 gives us words to profess the great central beauty of the gospel, and that is the person and work of the Lord Jesus. He has become “the Lamb that taketh sin away” and has made “full atonement.” He has given His own life for ours, dying as the divine, perfect, sinless substitutionary sacrifice for our sins. And now, by His Spirit, He is making us “meet for glory.”
He becomes the Lamb that taketh
Sin away
And for aye
Full atonement maketh.
For our life His own He tenders;
And our race,
By His grace,
Meet for glory renders.
Stanza 5 introduces a more quiet, more meditative and contemplative spirit as we listen to the invitation. “Hark! A voice from yonder manger, soft and sweet doth entreat: ‘Flee from woe and danger.’” What a wonderful, reassuring message is this. Because of the work that this infant in a manger will accomplish, we have been set free “from all ills that grieve you.”
Hark! a voice from yonder manger,
Soft and sweet,
Doth entreat:
“Flee from woe and danger,
Brethren, from all ills that grieve you
You are freed;
All you need
will surely give you.”
Stanza 6 becomes like Psalm 103 (“Bless the Lord, O my soul”), preaching to ourselves that we should “come, then, banish all your sadness” and instead “come with songs of gladness.” The response of our mind is to believe, and the response of our heart is to love with all our being this one who has come to bring us “light and joy.”
Come, then, banish all your sadness,
One and all,
Great and small;
Come with songs of gladness.
Love Him who with love is glowing;
Hail the star,
Near and far
Light and joy bestowing.
Stanza 7 is finally addressed to the Lord, Himself in tender tones of trusting adoration. While organists will often build up a crescendo of sound as one comes to the final stanza, here instead, the organist will wisely shift to a much more gentle registration. Here is the center of the Christian’s devotion, “Dearest Lord, Thee will I cherish.” We remember that phrase from the final stanza of “Fairest Lord Jesus.” Because of the faithfulness and sovereignty of this Savior we are confident that we will not perish, but will abide forever with Him with a joy “which can vanish never.”
Dearest Lord, Thee will I cherish.
Though my breath
Fail in death,
Yet I shall not perish,
But with Thee abide for ever
There on high,
In that joy
Which can vanish never.
Johann Crüger first published the hymn in 1653 in the fifth edition of his hymnal, “Praxis Pietatis Melica,” with a melody he composed himself. That melody has “leaping” features and modulates often. The last line, in the first stanza saying that Christ is born, moves downward, corresponding to a move from Heaven to Earth. Crüger also wrote a four-part setting. Burkhart M. Schürmann composed a chorale partita of all 15 stanzas, in both German and English (“All My Heart) for three-part choir in 2010.
The tune which is universally found in hymnals today, WARUM SOLLT ICH MICH DENN GRAMEN, was written by Johann Georg Ebeling (1637-1676). It appeared in 1666 in “Pauli Gerhardi Geistliche Andachten.” This melody was used by Johann Sebastian Bach in a four-part setting in his “Christmas Oratorio.” He also used the melody in 1736 in “Schemellis Gesangbuch.” Ebeling was a German composer who was born in Lüneburg and died in Stettin. He is best known as editor and composer of hymns by Gerhardt. He published 120 songs by Gerhardt, adding new melodies to many, writing the first melody for 26 of them. Several of his cantatas have survived.
Here is a link to listen, and perhaps to sing along.