Scripture References:
st. 1 = Ps. 103:13
st. 2 = Phil. 4:6
st. 3 = Ps. 46:1
Herman A. Bruining (b. Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 1738; d. Veere, the Netherlands, 1811) wrote a five-stanza Dutch evening hymn that began "'k Wil U, O God, mijn dank betalen." It was published in the Dutch hymnal Evangelische Gezangeng (1806). Luther's instructions in his Little Catechism about evening devotions were undoubtedly the inspiration for this text.
Bruining studied at the University of Utrecht, the Netherlands, and became a pastor in the Reformed Church, serving congregations in Kolham, Workum, and Veere. He was widely respected for his theological and biblical studies.
Arie Verduijn (b. Oudshoorn, the Netherlands, 1911; d. Burlington, ON, Canada, 1992) translated Bruining's stanzas 1 and 5 (now st. 1 and 3) into English in 1969 as an expression of "my thanks for all my blessings after God took home my wife, Eeke." It was first sung at an Old Years' service in First Christian Reformed Church, Hamilton, Ontario, on December 31, 1969. He translated stanza 2 in 1986. Following the original Dutch, Verduijn's translation began "I want to thank you, God," but the Psalter Hymnal Revision Committee changed all singular pronouns to plural ones.
An engineer by profession, Verduijn always had a lively interest in church music and served as organist in several churches in the Netherlands. After immigrating to Canada in 1952, he was organist in several Christian Reformed and Presbyterian churches in Ontario. Trained at the Technical College in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, Verduijn worked at the Philips Company in Eindhoven as well as at other Dutch firms. In Canada he worked as an industrial engineer for the Steel Company of Canada, Hamilton, Ontario (1955-1976). He has published many articles in technical publications as well as a family chronicle and autobiography, Sojourners (1981).
Like many vesper hymns, the text contrasts the fading daylight and approaching darkness with the eternal light of Christ. Stanzas 1 and 2 express gratitude to God for his blessings that come our way during the days of our lives. Stanza 3 turns “evening” into a metaphor for the closing years of earthly life when we may "rest our hope for the brighter morning" on the Lord of eternal life and light.
Liturgical Use:
An evening hymn of thankfulness for God's providence; New Year's Eve services; funerals; as a hymn of gratitude and consolation.
--Psalter Hymnal Handbook,
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