Paul
Gerhardt
Born: March 12, 1607, Grafenhaynichen,
Germany.
Died: May 27, 1676, Lübben
an der Spree, Spreewald, Germany.
Buried: Paul-Gerhardt-Kirche,
Lübben an der Spree, Spreewald, Germany.
His remains are in a crypt below the altar.
Gerhardt was the son of Christian Gerhardt, Burgermeister
of Grafenhaynichen, near Wittenberg. He enrolled at the
University of Wittenberg in 1628. In 1655, he married Anna Maria Barthold. He
appears to have frequently preached in Berlin in the 1640’s.
In 1651, Gerhardt was appointed, at the recommendation of the
Berlin clergy, Luheran Probst (chief pastor) at Mittenwalde,
near Berlin. In 1657, Gerhardt returned to Berlin as third diaconus of St.
Nicholas’ church. However, Gerhardt became involved in the contest between
Elector Friedrich Wilhelm (who was of the Reformed Church) and the Lutheran
clergy of Berlin; Gerhard was deposed from his office in February 1666, though
he still remained in Berlin. In November 1668, he accepted the post of
archidiaconus at Lübben an der Spree, was installed in June, 1669, and remained
there till his death. The motto on his portrait at Lübben read “Theologus
in cribro Satanae versatus.”
Hymns
- Auf, auf, mein Herz, mit Freuden
- Awake, My Heart, with Gladness
- Before Thy Manger, Lord, I Stand
- Befiehl du deine Wege
- Commit Whatever Grieves Thee
- Commit Thou All Thy Griefs
- Give to the Winds Thy Fears
- Put Thou Thy Trust in God
- Thy Way and All Thy Sorrows
- Ein Lämmlein geht
- Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth, A
- Evening and Morning
- Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen
- All My Heart This Night Rejoices
- Ist Gott für mich, so trete
- Here I Can Firmly Rest
- If God Be on My Side
- If God Himself Be for Me
- If Jesus Be My Friend
- Is God for Me? I Fear Not
- Is God for Me? T’oppose Me
- Since Jesus Is My Friend
- Kommt, und lasst uns Christum ehren
- Bring to Christ Your Best Oblation
- Come, and Christ the Lord Be Praising
- Come, and Let Us Christ Revere Now
- Come, Unite in Praise and Singing
- Come, Your Hearts and Voices Raising
- Nun lasst uns gehn und treten
- Now Let Us Come Before Him
- Nun
ruhen alle Wälder
- Duteous Day Now Closeth, The
- Now All the Woods Are Sleeping
- Now Rest Beneath Night's Shadow
- Now Woods and Wolds Are Sleeping
- O du allersüsste Freude
- Holy Ghost, Dispel Our Sadness
- Holy Spirit, Source of Gladness
- Sweetest Joy the Soul Can Know
- O
Haupt voll Blut und Wunden
- O Jesus Christ, dein Kripplein ist
- O Jesus Christ, Thy Manger Is
- O Jesu Christ, mein schönstes Licht
- Jesus, Thy Boundless Love to Me
- O Welt, sieh hier dein Leben
- Behold, O World, Thy Life, Thy Lord
- Extended on a Cursed Tree
- Here, World, See Thy Redeemer
- Here, World, Thy Great Salvation See
- O, World! Attention Lend It
- O, World! Behold upon the Tree
- O, World! See Thy Life Languish
- Wee, World! Thy Life Assailed
- See, World, upon the Bloody Tree
- Upon the Cross Extended
- Sing, My Soul, to God Who Made Thee
- Sollt’ ich meinem Gott nicht singen
- I Will Sing My Maker's Praises
- Warum
sollt’ ich mich denn grämen
- Why Should Cross and Trial Grieve Me?
- Wie
soll ich dich empfangen
- O Lord, How Shall I Meet You?
- Wir singen Dir Imanuel
- Immanuel, to Thee We Sing
- Immanuel, We Sing Thy Praise
- Immanuel, We Sing to Thee
- Thee, O Immanuel, We Praise
- We Sing, Immanuel, Thy Praise
- We Sing to Thee, Emmanuel
- Zeuch ein zu deinen Toren