Hark! the Church proclaims her honor

Representative Text

1 Hark! The Church proclaims her honor,
And her strength is only this:
God has laid his choice upon her,
And the work she does is his.

2 He his Church has firmly founded;
He will guard what he began.
We, by sin and foes surrounded,
Build her walls as best we can.

3 Frail and fleeting are our powers,
Short our days, our foresight dim.
We confess a choice not ours:
We were chosen first by him.

4 Though we here must strive in weakness,
Though in tears we often bend,
What his might began in meekness
Shall achieve a glorious end.

5 Onward, then, without despairing!
Calm we follow at his Word,
Thus through joy and sorrow bearing
Faithful witness to our Lord.

Source: Christian Worship (1993): a Lutheran hymnal #530

Author: S. Preiswerk

Preiswerk, Samuel, son of Alexander Preiswerk, pastor at Rümlingen, in the canton of Basel, was born at Rümlingen, Sept. 19, 1799. After studying at the Universities of Basel, Tübingen, and Erlangen, he was for some time curate in charge at Benken, in the canton of Basel. In 1824 he was appointed preacher at the Basel Orphanage, and in 1829 tutor of Hebrew at the Basel mission house. In 1830 he was chosen as pastor of Muttenz, near Basel, but on the outbreak of the Revolution of 1832 had to leave. After being from 1834 to 1837 professor of Old Testament Exegesis and Oriental languages in the Evangelical Theological Institution at Geneva, he returned to Basel, where he was instituted, in 1843, as pastor of St. Leonard's church, and in 185… 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 >

Text Information

First Line: Hark! the Church proclaims her honor
German Title: Dies ist der Gemeine Stärke
Author: S. Preiswerk
Translator: Catherine Winkworth
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Tune

LOBT DEN HERRN


STUTTGART

STUTTGART was included in Psalmodia Sacra (1715), one of the most significant hymnals of the early sixteenth century [sic: eighteenth century]. Christian F. Witt (b. Altenburg, Germany, e. 1660; d. Altenburg, 1716) was an editor and compiler of that collection; about 100 (of the 774) tunes in that c…

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SULLIVAN (C. A. P.)


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The Cyber Hymnal #2148
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The Cyber Hymnal #2148

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Christian Worship (1993) #530

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