Thanks for being a Hymnary.org user. You are one of more than 10 million people from 200-plus countries around the world who have benefitted from the Hymnary website in 2024! If you feel moved to support our work today with a gift of any amount and a word of encouragement, we would be grateful.

You can donate online at our secure giving site.

Or, if you'd like to make a gift by check, please make it out to CCEL and mail it to:
Christian Classics Ethereal Library, 3201 Burton Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
And may the promise of Advent be yours this day and always.

Martin Rutilius

Short Name: Martin Rutilius
Full Name: Rutilius, Martin, 1551-1618
Birth Year: 1550
Death Year: 1618

Rutilius, Martin, son of Gregorius Rüdel or Rutilius (who in 1548 was diaconus at Salza, near Magdeburg, and in 1551 became pastor at Düben on the Mülde, in Saxony), was born Jan. 21, 1550. After studying at the Universities of Wittenberg and Jena, he was appointed, in 1575, pastor at Teutleben, near Gotha. In 1586 he became diaconus at Weimar, where, after being for some time archidiaconus, he died Jan. 18, 1618.
The translations [of his hymns] in common use are:—
1. 0 God my Lord! How great's the Hoard. In full by J. C. Jacobi, in his Psalter Germanica, 1722, p. 56. In his edition 1732, p. 89, it was greatly altered, and st. 1.—ill., viii., x. of this form were included in the Evangelical Union Hymn Book, 1856.
2. When rising winds, and rain descending. This is a free translation in 8 lines, of st. vii.-x. by T. Dutton, as No. 250 in the Moravian Hymn Book, 1789 (1886, No. 314). Included in Dr. Martineau's Hymns of Praise and Prayer, 1873.
3. Alas! my God! My sins are great. A good translation of st. i.-vi., by Miss Winkworth, as No. 107 in her Chorale Book for England , 1863. Repeated, omitting st. iv., in the Ohio Lutheran Hymnal , 1880.
Other translations are: —
(1) "As small birds use A hole to chuse" (st. vii.-x.) as No. 445, in pt. i. of the Moravian Hymn Book, 1754. (2) "Alas! my Lord and God." By Miss Winkworth, 1858, p. 130. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]

--Excerpts from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)


Texts by Martin Rutilius (9)sort descendingAsAuthority LanguagesInstances
Ach Gott und Herr, wie groß und schwerMartin Rutilius (Author)German58
Ach, muoj Boze, vis jak mnoheMartin Rutilius (Author)Slovak1
Ak Herre fromMartin Rutilius (Author (V. 1-6))Norwegian6
Alas! my God! my sins are greatMartin Rutelius (Author)English13
Min synd, o GudM. Rutilius, d. 1618 (Author)Swedish3
O Boże mój!Martin Rutilius (Author)Polish2
O God, my Lord! How great's my hoardMartin Rutilius (Author)English2
Som fåglar småMartin Rutilius (Author)Swedish4
When rising winds, and rain descendingMartin Rutilius (Author)1
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us
It looks like you are using an ad-blocker. Ad revenue helps keep us running. Please consider white-listing Hymnary.org or getting Hymnary Pro to eliminate ads entirely and help support Hymnary.org.