Shall I not sing praise to Thee

Representative Text

Shall I not sing praise to Thee,
Shall I not give thanks, O Lord?
Since for us in all I see
How Thou keepest watch and ward;
How the truest, tend'rest love
Ever fills Thy heart, my God,
Helping, cheering, on their road
All who in Thy service move.
All things else have but their day,
God's love only lasts for aye.

As the eagle o'er her nest
Spreads her sheltering wings abroad,
So from all that would molest
Doth Thine arm defend me, Lord;
From my youth up e'en till now
Of the being Thou did'st give,
And the earthly life I live,
Faithful Guardian still wert Thou.
All things else have but their day,
God's love only lasts for aye.

When I sleep my Guardian wakes,
And revives my wearied mind;
Every morning on me breaks
With some mark of love most kind;
Had my God not stood my Friend,
Had His countenance not been
Here my guide, I had not seen
Many a trial reach its end.
All things else have but their day,
God's love only lasts for aye.

As a father ne'er withdraws
From a child his all of love,
Though it often break his laws,
Though it careless, wilful, prove:
Even so my loving Lord
Doth my faults with pity see;
With His rod He chastens me,
Not avenging with His sword.
All things else have but their day,
God's love only lasts for aye.

When His strokes upon me light,
Bitterly I feel their smart,
Yet are they, if seen aright,
Tokens that my Father's heart
Yearns to bring me back again
Through these crosses to His fold,
From the world that fain would hold
Soul and body in its chain.
All things else have but their day,
God's love only lasts for aye.

All my life I still have found,
And I will forget it never,
Every sorrow hath its bound,
And no cross endures for ever.
After all the winter's snows
Comes sweet summer back again;
Patient souls ne'er wait in vain,
Joy is given for all their woes.
All things else have but their day,
God's love only lasts for aye.

Since then neither change nor end
In Thy love can e'er have place,
Father! I beseech Thee send
Unto me Thy loving grace.
Help Thy feeble child, and give
Strength to serve Thee day and night,
Loving Thee with all my might,
While on earth I yet must live;
So shall I, when Time is o'er,
Praise and love Thee evermore.

Source: Chorale Book for England, The #10

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Author: Paul Gerhardt

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 >

Translator: Catherine Winkworth

Catherine Winkworth (b. Holborn, London, England, 1827; d. Monnetier, Savoy, France, 1878) is well known for her English translations of German hymns; her translations were polished and yet remained close to the original. Educated initially by her mother, she lived with relatives in Dresden, Germany, in 1845, where she acquired her knowledge of German and interest in German hymnody. After residing near Manchester until 1862, she moved to Clifton, near Bristol. A pioneer in promoting women's rights, Winkworth put much of her energy into the encouragement of higher education for women. She translated a large number of German hymn texts from hymnals owned by a friend, Baron Bunsen. Though often altered, these translations continue to be used i… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	Shall I not sing praise to Thee
German Title:	Sollt' ich meinem Gott nicht singen
Author:	Paul Gerhardt (1659)
Translator:	Catherine Winkworth (1855)
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain