Gregorius Richter › Recommendations

Richter, Gregorius, son of Gregorius Richter, then diaconus at Görlitz, was born at Görlitz, March 4, 1598. He studied at the University of Leipzig, became in 1619 fourth master in the gymnasium at Görlitz, was ordained as diaconus there in 1624, and died at Görlitz, Sept. 5, 1633 (K. G. Dietmann's Priesterschaft in den . . . Oberlausitz, 1777, p. 261; Blätter fur Hymnologie, 1887, p. 71, &c.; the latter dating his death Sept. 4). Two hymns have been ascribed to him, one of which has passed into English, viz.:—
Steh doch, Seele, steh doch stille. Confirmation. This is a hymn on self examination and renunciation of the world, and is founded on 1 John ii. 15-17. It appeared in D. Wülffer's Zwölff Andachten, Nürnberg, 1648, p. 542, in 16 stanzas, entitled "To the soul that longs after the world," and is signed Gregorius Richter. It has sometimes been ascribed to the father [born at Görlitz, Feb. 1, 1560, pastor primarius there, 1606, and died there Aug. 14, 1624. In many hymn-books, as in the Unverfälschter Liedersegen, 1851, No. 343, st. iv. i3 omitted. The translation in common use is:—
Now from earth retire, my heart. A good translation of st. i., ix.-xii. by A. T. Russell, as No. 180 in his Psalms & Hymns , 1851. [Rev. James Mearns. M.A.]

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)