Gott des Himmels und der Erden. [Morning.] First published as above in pt. v. 1643, No. 4, in 7 stanzas of 6 lines, included as No. 459 in the Unverfälschter Leidersegen, 1851.
Of this hymn Dr. Cosack, of Königsberg (quoted in Koch, viii. 186), says:—
"For two hundred years it is hardly likely that a single day has greeted the earth that has not, here and there, in German lands, been met with Alberti's hymn. Hardly another morning hymn can be compared with it, as far as popularity and intrinsic value are concerned, if simplicity and devotion, purity of doctrine and adaptation to all the circumstances of life are to decide."
Stanzas ii., iii., v. have been special favourites in Germany, stanza v. being adopted by children, by brides, by old and young, as a morning prayer.
The fine melody (in the Irish Church Hymnal called "Godesberg") is also by Alberti.
Translations in common use:—
1. God, the Lord of what's created, in full in J. C. Jacobi's Div. Hymns 1720. p. 35. In his 2nd ed. 1732, p. 169, altered to—" God, the Lord of the Creation"; and thence slightly altered as No. 478 in part i. of the Moravian Hymn Book, 1754, with a doxology as in the Magdeburg G., 1696. In 1789, No. 743, altered to—"God, omnipotent Creator"; with st. ii., iv., vii., omitted; st. iii., viii. being also omitted in the 1801 and later ed. In 1868, st. iii.—v. were included as No. 511 in the Pennsylvania Luth. Church Book, with st. ii., vi., vii. from A. T. Russell.
2. God, Thou Lord of Earth and Heaven, in full, by H. J. Buckoll in his Hymns from the German, 1842, p. 22. His translations of st. iv.-vi. beginning—"Now the morn new light is pouring," were included as No. 3 in the Rugby School Hymn Book, 1843 (ed. 1876, No. 4), and of st. v., vi., altered to "Jesus! Lord! our steps be guiding," as No. 130 in Dr. Pagenstecher's Collection, 1864.
3. God, who heaven and earth upholdest. A good tr. omitting st. iv. and based on Jacobi, by A. T. Russell, as No. 64 in the Dalston Hospital Collection, 1848 In his own Psalms & Hymns, 1851, No.3, the trs. of st. vi., vii. were omitted, and this was repeated as No. 218, in the New Zealand Hymnal, 1872. The Pennsylvania Luth. Church Book takes st. i. partly from Miss Winkworth.
4. God who madest earth and heaven, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. A good and full tr. by Miss Winkworth in her Lyra Germanica, 1st ser., 1855, p. 213 (later ed., p. 215, slightly altered). In full in R. M. Taylor's Par. Church Hymnal, 1872, No. 27. A cento from st. i., 11.1-4; v., 11. 1-4; vi., 11. 1-4; with v., 11. 5, 6; and vii., 11. 5, 6, was included as No. 23 in the Irish Church Hymnal,
1873. In 1868, included in L. Rehfuess's Church at Sea, p. 79, altered to—"Creator of earth and heaven." In 1863 it was altered in metre and given as No. 160 in the Chorale Book for England. From this Porter's Church Hymnal, 1876, No. 54, omits st. iii. Also in the Ohio Lutheran Hymnal, 1880, No. 293.
5. God who madest earth and heaven. A good tr. omitting st. vii., and with st. i., 11. 1-4, from Miss Winkworth, contributed by R. Massie, as ]$fl. 501, to the 1857 ed. of Mercer's Church Psalm & Hymn Book (Ox. ed. 1864, No. 7, omitting st. v.).
6. God of mercy and of might. A good tr. (omitting st. v, vi,) by Dr. Kennedy, as No. 811, in his Hymnologia Christiana, 1863, repeated in Dr. Thomas's Aug. Hymn Book, 1866, No. 510; and, omitting the translation of st. vii., as No. 31, in Holy Song, 1809. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
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