Tobias Kiel

Kiel, Tobias, was born Oct. 29, 1584, at Ballstädt near Gotha. After completing his theological studies at Jena, he became in 1606 Schoolmaster at Ballstädt, and in 1613 Pastor at Eschenbergen. He was then, in 1627, appointed Pastor at Ballstädt, and died there six days after his settlement. (Brückner's Kirchen und Schulenstaat des Herzogthums Gotha, 1753, ii., pt. xii. p. 13; iii., pt. viii. p. 12, &c.) In 1721 some 60 of his hymns were extant in manuscript. The only one translated into English is:--
Herr Gott, nun schleuss den Himmel auf. For the Dying. In J. M. Altenburg's Kirchen-und Hausgesänge. Erfurt, 1620, No. 6, in 3 stanzas, entitled "On the Festival of the Purification of Mary" and in the Unverfälschter Liedersegen,1851, No. 818. Translated as “Lord God, now open wide Thy heaven," by Miss Winkworth, 1858, p. 215. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)