Shall I not my God be praising

Representative Text

Shall I not my God be praising,
And in Him not joyful be?
For in all His works amazing,
See I not His care for me?
Is it not pure love that filleth,
And His faithful heart o’erflows,
When He ever cares for those,
Who do only what He willeth?
All things run their course below,
God’s love doth for ever flow.

As its brood the eagle over,
Ever more its wings doth spread.
So the Highest aye doth cover
With His arms of pow’r my head.
In the womb e’en of my mother,
When to me He being gave,
E’en the life that now I have,
Was He then my shield and cover.
All things run their course below,
God’s love doth for ever flow.

Not too great a gift He even
Deem’d His only Son to be;
Him to death hath freely given,
Me from fear of hell to free.
Oh! Thou spring of boundless blessing,
How could e’er my feeble mind
Of Thy depth the bottom find,
Though my efforts were unceasing?
All things run their course below,
God’s love doth for ever flow.

And the Holy Ghost to guide me,
Noble Leader! He hath giv’n,
That He through the world may lead me,
Onward to the gate of heav’n.
That my heart He may be filling
With th’ unclouded light of faith,
That can break the pow’r of death,
And hell’s rage hath pow’r of stilling.
All things run their course below,
God’s love doth for ever flow.

For my soul’s well-being ever
Full provision doth He make,
And in ev’ry need deliver,
For the body care doth take.
When my pow’r, my best endeavour
Cometh to extremity,
Then my God appears to me,
With His might comes to deliver.
All things run their course below,
God’s love doth for ever flow.

All the things in earth and heaven,
E’en where’er I turn my eye,
For my benefit are given,
That they may my need supply.
All that’s living, all that’s growing,
On the hills or in the woods,
In the vales or ’neath the floods,
God is for my good bestowing.
All things run their course below,
God’s love doth for ever flow.

When I sleep, His eye is waking,
When I wake, He strength’neth me,
Each new morn fresh courage taking,
I new love and goodness see.
Had my God existed never,
Had His face not guided me,
From such ills so frequently,
None could have deliver’d ever.
All things run their course below,
God’s love doth for ever flow.

’Gainst me many is the weapon,
Forg’d by Satan’s enmity,
But no real hurt can happen,
None hath yet befallen me.
God’s own angel whom He sendeth,
Wardeth off each deadly blow
Aim’d by the untiring foe,
Who our ruin thus intendeth.
All things run their course below,
God’s love doth for ever flow.

As a father ne’er withdraweth
From his child his love away,
Though he often evil doeth,
And from wisdom’s paths doth stray.
So God’s heart towards me moveth,
All my sins forgiveth He,
Not in vengeance smiteth me,
As a Father He reproveth.
All things run their course below,
God’s love doth for ever flow.

Ev’ry blow His hand inflicteth,
Though the heart with pain it rend,
When my heart aright reflecteth,
Is a token that my Friend
Thinks on me, and tow’rds me yearneth,
Me from this ill world would free,
That has so entangled me,
By the cross to Him me turneth.
All things run their course below,
God’s love doth for ever flow.

This I know full well, and never
Let it from my mind depart,
Christ’s cross hath its limit ever,
And at length must cease to smart.
When the winter snows are over
Lovely summer will appear,
Who can hope, from ev’ry fear,
And from pain, shall they recover.
All things run their course below,
God’s love doth for ever flow.

In God’s love there is no ending,
Ne’er a limit find I there,
So my hands to Thee extending,
As Thy child, I raise my pray’r.
Father! deign Thy grace to give me,
That I may with all my might
Thee embrace both day and night,
All my life may never leave thee,
And when life is o’er with me,
Love and praise eternally.

Paul Gerhardt’s Spiritual Songs, 1867

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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 >

Translator: J. Kelly

Kelly, John, was born at Newcastle-on-Tyne, educated at Glasgow University, studied theology at Bonn, New College, Edinburgh, and the Theological College of the English Presbyterian Church (to which body he belongs) in London. He has ministered to congregations at Hebburn-on-Tyne and Streatham, and was Tract Editor of the Religious Tract Society. His translations of Paul Gerhardt's Spiritual Songs were published in 1867. Every piece is given in full, and rendered in the metre of the originals. His Hymns of the Present Century from the German were published in 1886 by the Religious Tract Society. In these translations the metres of the originals have not always been followed, whilst some of the hymns have been abridged and others condens… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	Shall I not my God be praising
German Title:	Soll ich meinem Gott nicht singen
Author:	Paul Gerhardt
Translator:	J. Kelly (1867)
Meter:	8.7.8.7.8.7.7.8.7.7
Language:	English
Publication Date:	1867
Copyright:	This text is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before 1929.