1 All ye who on this earth do dwell,
Give thanks and glorify
The Lord whose praises ever swell
In seraph songs on high.
2 Lift up your hearts in praise to God,
Himself best Gift of all,
Who works His wonders all abroad,
Upholding great and small.
3 Since first our life began to be,
He has preserved our frame;
And when man's strength was vanity,
He as our Helper came.
4 Though often we His patience try
And well deserve His frown,
In grace He lays His anger by
And pours new blessings down.
5 'Tis He revives our fainting soul,
Gives joyful hearts to men;
And when great waves of trouble roll,
He drives them back again.
6 May He adorn with precious peace
Our own, our native, land
And crown with joys that never cease
The labors of our hand!
7 Long as we tarry here below
Our saving Health is He;
And when from earth to heaven we go,
May He our portion be!
Source: Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary #52
Paul Gerhardt (b. Gräfenheinichen, Saxony, Germany, 1607; d. Lubben, Germany, 1676), famous author of Lutheran evangelical hymns, studied theology and hymnody at the University of Wittenberg and then was a tutor in Berlin, where he became friends with Johann Crüger. He served the Lutheran parish of Mittenwalde near Berlin (1651-1657) and the great St. Nicholas' Church in Berlin (1657-1666). 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 r… Go to person page >
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