David Denicke

Short Name: David Denicke
Full Name: Denicke, David, 1603-1680
Birth Year: 1603
Death Year: 1680

Denicke, David, son of B. D. Denicke, Town Judge of Zittau, Saxony, was born at Zittau, January 31, 1603. After studying philosophy and law at the Universities of Wittenberg and Jena, he was for a time tutor of law at Königsberg, and, 1624-1628, travelled in Holland, England and France. In 1629 he became tutor to the sons of Duke Georg of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and under father and sons held various important offices, such as, 1639, the direction of the foundation of Bursfeld, and in 1642 a member of the Consistory at Hannover. He died at Hannover, April 1, 1680 (Koch, iii. 237; Bode, p. 58). His hymns, which for that time were in good taste, and are simple, useful, warm, and flowing, appeared in the various Hannoverian hymnbooks, 1646-1659, which he edited along with J. Gesenius (q.v.). All appeared there without his name.   Those translated are:—

i. Wenn ich die heilgen zehn Gebot. Ten Commandments. Contributed to the Hannover Gesang Buch, 1652, No. 69, as a hymn on the Ten Commandments, in 22 stanza of 4 1., stanzas i.-x. being a confession of sins against them, and stanzas xi.-xxii. a medi¬tation and prayer for God's mercy. Included in Crüger's Praxis pietatis melica, 1661, in Freylinghausen's Gesang Buch, 1714, and recently in a few collections, as Sarnighausen's Gesang Buch, 1855, No. 164, and the Ohio Gesang Buch, 1865, No. 182. It is translated as Almighty Lord of earth and heaven. By C. H. L. Schnette, as No. 206 in the Ohio Lutheran Hymnal, 1880. Stanzas i.-iv. are literal; stanzas v.-vii. seem based on v., vii., xvi., xvii.

Hymns not in English common use:—

ii. Ach treuer Gott! ich ruf zu dir . [Christian Life .] 1st published in the Hannover Gesang Buch, 1652, No. 135, in 17 st. This is translated as:—(1) “My God! I call upon Thy name," by Miss Cox, 1841, p. 177. (2) "Most holy God! to thee I cry," by Lady E. Fortescue, 1843 (1847, p. 69).

iii. Kommt, lasst euch den Herren lehren . [ The Beatitudes,] 1st published in the Hannover Gesang Buch , 1648, in 11 st., No. 133. It may have been suggested by J. Heermann's "Kommt ihr Christen, kommt und höret" (9 st. in his Sontags- und Fest-Evangelia, Leipzig, 1638; Mützell, 1858, No. 94), but has only 3 lines in common with it. In the Nürnberg Gesang Buch , 1676, No. 962, and many later hymnbooks, it begins : "kommt und lasst uns Jesum lehren." It is translated as "Come and hear our blessed Saviour," by J. C. Jacobi, 1722, p. 46. In his 2nd edition, 1732, p. 75, altered and beginning “Come, and hear the sacred story," and thence in the Moravian Hymnbook, 1754, pt. i., No. 469; stanzas x., xi. beginning, "Jesus, grant me to inherit," being repeated in later editions and as No. 423 in J. A. Latrobe's Collection, 1841.

iv. Was kann ich doch fiir Dank. [Praise and Thanksgiving]  1st publised in the Hannover Gesang Buch, 1648, in 8 st., No. 154.  Stanza vii. is altered from “Herr Jesu, führe mich," by J. Heermann (Devoti Musica Cordis); Breslau, 1630; Mützell, 1858, No. 57. Translated as "What, thanks can I repay?" by J. C. Jacobi, 1725, p. 46 (1732, p. 147).

v. Wir Menschen sein zu dem, O Gott. [Holy Scripture."] 1st published in the Hannover Gesang Buch, 1659, No. 180, in 10 stanzas.  Founded on the Gospel for Sexagesima Sunday—St. Luke viii. 4, &c. Translated as:—(1) "Give us Thy Spirit, Lord, that we," a translation of stanza iii. by J. Swertner, as No. 8 in the Moravian Hymnbook, 1789 (1886, No. 9). (2) "Let the splendour of Thy word," a translation of stanza ix. by J. Swertner, as No. 15, in the Moravian Hymnbook, 1789. (1886, No. 17). 

      [Rev. James  Mearns, M.A.]

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology


Texts by David Denicke (40)sort descendingAsAuthority LanguagesInstances
Ach treuer Gott, ich ruf zu DirDavid Denicke (Author)German8
All men, alas, are dead, O LordDavid Denicke (Author)English2
All people that on earth do dwellDavid Denicke (1603-1680) (German translator (in part))English1
Almighty Lord of earth and heavenDavid Denicke (Author)English9
By nature man cannot achieveDavid Denicke (Author)2
Come and hear the sacred storyDavid Denicke (Author)English2
Come and let the Lord now teach youD. Dennicks (Author)English3
Dein Wille, Herr, und dein GebotDavid Denicke (Author)German2
Here in thy presence we appearDavid Denicke, 1603-80 (Author)1
Herr! deine Rechte und GebotDavid Denicke (Author)German27
Herr Gott, der du erforschest michDavid Denicke (Author)German6
Hilf, Gott, dass ja die KinderzuchtDavid Denicke (Author)German41
How can I thank Thee, LordDavid Denicke, 1603-80 (Author)English6
Jesus, grant me to inheritDavid Denicke (Author)3
Kom, min kristen, Gud till äraDavid Denicke, d. 1580 (Author)Swedish2
Kommt, lasst euch den Herren lehrenDavid Denicke (Author)German22
Kommt, und lasst den Herrn euch lehrenDavid Denicke (Author)German6
Kommt, und lasst euch Jesum lehrenDavid Denicke (Author)German44
Lass sich dein Wort zu deiner Ehr'David Denicke (Author)German1
Lass, Vater, Deinen guten GeistDavid Denicke (Author)German6
Lord Jesus Christ, God's only sonDavid Denicke (Author)English2
Niech w Panu się raduje ṡwiatDavid Denicke (Author)Polish2
Nun jauchzt dem Herren, alle Welt!David Denicke (Author)German25
O Gott, du kannst den Himmel ganzDavid Denicke (Author)German3
O Gottes Sohn, Herr Jesu Christ, An wen soll ich mish wenden?David Denicke (Author)German1
O Gottes Sohn, Herr Jesu Christ, Dich fest im Glauben fassenDavid Denicke (Author)German2
O Gottes Sohn, Herr Jesu Christ, Dass man recht könne gläubenDavid Denicke (Author)German48
O Gottes Sohn, Herr Jesu Christ, Du meiner Seele LebenDavid Denicke (Author)German2
O Jesus, troens dyre skatDavid Denicke (Author)Norwegian5
O praise the Lord now, all ye landsDavid Denicke (Author)English3
O Vater der Barmherzigkeit, Ich falle dir zu FußeDavid Denicke (Author)German23
Schau', lieber Gott, wie meine Feind'David Denicke (Author)German9
Was kann ich doch für DankDavid Denicke (Author)German40
Wenn Einer alle Ding verstünd' mit Engelzungen redeteDavid Denicke (Author)German18
Wenn ich die heil'gen zehn Gebot'D. Denicke, † 1680 (Author)German11
What thanks can I repay to thee, my God, my SaviorDavid Denicke (Author)English1
When on the cross the Savior hungDavid Denike (Author (attributed to))English1
When sorrow and remorse prey at my heartD. Denicke (Author)English2
Wie lieblich sind dort obenDavid Denicke (Author)German9
Wir Menschen sind zu dem, o GottDavid Denike (Author)German21
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