Gerhard Tersteegen

Born:  November 25, 1697, Moers, Niederrhein, Germany.

Died:  April 3, 1769, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany.

Buried:  Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany.

    Though the name is almost universally shown as the Germanized “Tersteegen,” his real name was Dutch: Gerrit ter Steegen. His father abandoned his mother, and Gerhard grew up in poverty. He wanted to study theology, but could not afford an education, so he went into commerce instead; he first worked in Mülheim an der Ruhr (next to Moers and Duisburg, in the Ruhr area). But Gerhard preferred the solitary life, so he gave up his sales job and worked as a weaver, knitting ribbons, studying at home in cloister-like asceticism, and reading theological books. He became an outstanding lay theologian, lay pastor, and mystic of the Protestant Pietism movement. From 1728 on, he was an itinerant preacher in the Protestant Erweckungsbewegung (“spiritual awakening movement”) in the Niederrhein region, and hosted home worship and prayer meetings.
    Tersteegen was one of the two most famous 18th Century German hymn writers (the other being Joachim Neander). Beginning in 1729, he edited his famous book Geistliches Blumengärtlein inniger Seelen (Spiritual Flower Garden for Ardent Souls), a collection of hymns, spiritual lyrics and epigrams.

Hymns

1. Ach Gott, es taugt doch draussen nicht
   • Ah God! The World Has Nought to Please
2. Ach, könnt ich stille stein
   • Ah, Could I But Be Still
   • Oh! Could I But Be Still
3. Allgenugsam Wesen
   • All-Sufficient Being
   • Thou All-Sufficient One! Who Art
   • Thou, Whose Love Unshaken
4. Bald endet sich mein Pil­ger­weg
   • Weary Heart, Be Not Desponding
5. Berufne Seelen! Schlafet nicht
   • Ye Sleeping Souls, Awake from Dreams of Carnal Ease
   • Sleep Not, O Soul by God Awakened
6. Das ässre Sonnenlicht ist da
   • Outer Sunlight Now Is There, The
   • World’s Bright Sun Is Risen on High, The
7. Das Kreuz ist dennoch gut
   • Cross Is Ever Good, The
8. Die Blümlein klein und gross in meines Herren Garten
   • Flowers That in Jesu’s Garden Have a Place
   • Full Many Flowers, in My Lord’s Garden Blooming
9. Die Liebe will was ganzes haben
   • Love Doth the Whole–Not Part–Desire
10. Du schönstes Gotteskind
    • Thou Fairest Child Divine
11. Freue dich, du Kinder-Orden
    • Children Rejoice, for God Is Come to Earth
    • Little Child­ren, God Above
12. Für dich sei ganz mein Herz und Leben
    • Constrain’d by Love So Warm and Tender
    • My Soul Adores the Might of Loving
13. Gott ist ge­gen­wär­tig
    • God Himself is With Us
    • Lo, God is Here!
14. Gott ru­fet noch, sollt ich nicht end­lich hör­en
    • God Calling Yet
15. Grosser Gott, in dem ich schwebe
    • God, in Whom I Have My Being
16. Jauchzet ihr Himmel! frohlocket ihr englische Chören
    • Triumph, Ye Heavens! Rejoice Ye with High Adoration
17. Jedes Herz will et­was lieb­en
    • Heart of Man Must Something Love, The
    • Something Every Heart Is Lov­ing
18. Jesu, Den Ich Meine
    • Jesus, Whom I Long For
19. Jesu, der du bist alleine
    • Jesus, Whom Thy Church Doth Own
20. Jesu, mein Erbarmer! h&oum;re
    • Jesus, Pitying Savior, Hear Me
21. Nun so will ich denn mein Leben
    • Lo! My Choice Is Now Decided
    • Now at Last I End the Strife
22. Jesus-Nam, du höchster Name
    • Jesu’s Name, Thou Highest Name
23. Liebwerther, süsser Gottes-Wille
    • Thou Sweet Beloved Will of God
    • O Will of God, All Sweet and Perfect
24. Mein ganzer Sinn
    • My Whole Desire Doth Deeply Turn Away
25. Mein Gott, mein Gott, mein wahres Leben
    • My God, My God, My Life Divine!
26. Mein Herz, ein Eisen grob und alt
    • A Rough and Shapeless Block of Iron Is My Heart
27. Mein’n Augenblick
    • Each Moment I Turn Me
28. Nun lobet alle Gottes Sohn
    • Give Glory to the Son of God
29. O Jesu, König, hoch zu ehren
    • O Jesus, Lord of Majesty
30. O liebe Seele! könnst du werden
    • Dear Soul, Couldst Thou Become a Child
    • Soul! Couldst Thou, While on Earth Remaining
    • Wouldst Thou, My Soul, the Secret Find
31. Siegesfürste, Ehrnkönig
    • Conquering Prince and Lord of Glory
32. So gehts von Schritt zu Schritt
    • Thus, Step by Step, My Journey to the Infinite
33. So ist denn doch nun abermal ein Jahr
    • Thus, When Another Year of Pilgrim-Life
34. Sollt ich nicht gelassen sein
    • Should I Not Be Meek and Still
35. Verborgne Gott­es­lie­be du
    • Thou Hidden Love of God
36. Von allen Dingen ab
    • From All Created Things
37. Wie bist du mir so innig gut
    • How Gracious, Kind, and Good, My Great High Priest Art Thou
38. Wie gut ists, wenn man abgespehnt
    • How Sweet It Is, When, Wean’d from All
39. Wiederum ein Augenblick
    • Of My Time One Minute More
    • One More Flying Moment
40. Willkomm’n, verklärter Gottes Sohn
    • Glorious Head, Thou Livest Now