Lord God, now open wide Thy heaven

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 >

Author: Tobias Kiel

Kiel, Tobias, was born Oct. 29, 1584, at Ballstädt near Gotha. After completing his theological studies at Jena, he became in 1606 Schoolmaster at Ballstädt, and in 1613 Pastor at Eschenbergen. He was then, in 1627, appointed Pastor at Ballstädt, and died there six days after his settlement. (Brückner's Kirchen und Schulenstaat des Herzogthums Gotha, 1753, ii., pt. xii. p. 13; iii., pt. viii. p. 12, &c.) In 1721 some 60 of his hymns were extant in manuscript. The only one translated into English is:-- Herr Gott, nun schleuss den Himmel auf. For the Dying. In J. M. Altenburg's Kirchen-und Hausgesänge. Erfurt, 1620, No. 6, in 3 stanzas, entitled "On the Festival of the Purification of Mary" and in the Unverfälschter Liedersegen,1851,… Go to person page >