Now Rest Beneath Night's Shadow

Now rest beneath night's shadows, Man, beast, wood, town and meadows

Translator: Catherine Winkworth; Author: Paul Gerhardt
Tune: INNSBRUCK
Published in 30 hymnals

Representative Text

1 Now rest beneath night's shadow
The woodland, field and meadow:
The world in slumber lies;
But thou, my heart, awake thee,
To prayer and song betake thee,
Let praise to thy Creator rise.

2 Lord Jesus, who dost love me,
O spread Thy wings above me,
And shield me from alarm;
Tho' Satan would devour me,
Let angel-guards sing o'er me:
"This child of God shall meet no harm."

Source: The Christian Hymnary. Bks. 1-4 #986

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: Paul Gerhardt

Paul Gerhardt (b. Gräfenheinichen, Saxony, Germany, 1607; d. Lubben, Germany, 1676), famous author of Lutheran evangelical hymns, studied theology and hymnody at the University of Wittenberg and then was a tutor in Berlin, where he became friends with Johann Crüger. He served the Lutheran parish of Mittenwalde near Berlin (1651-1657) and the great St. Nicholas' Church in Berlin (1657-1666). Friederich William, the Calvinist elector, had issued an edict that forbade the various Protestant groups to fight each other. Although Gerhardt did not want strife between the churches, he refused to comply with the edict because he thought it opposed the Lutheran "Formula of Concord," which con­demned some Calvinist doctrines. Consequently, he was r… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Now rest beneath night's shadows, Man, beast, wood, town and meadows
Title: Now Rest Beneath Night's Shadow
German Title: Nun ruhen alle Wälder
Author: Paul Gerhardt
Translator: Catherine Winkworth
Meter: 7.7.6.7.7.6
Language: English
Notes: altered extensively
Copyright: Public Domain

Tune

INNSBRUCK


GENEVAN 6

GENEVAN 6 was composed or adapted to be sung to Clement Marot's versification of Psalm 6 in the 1542 edition of the Genevan Psalter. This tune is one of the few in the Genevan Psalter to include a melisma, a syllable set to more than one note. Howard Slenk (PHH 3) harmonized the tune in 1985 for the…

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Timeline

Instances

Instances (1 - 1 of 1)

The Summit Choirbook #196

Include 29 pre-1979 instances
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