Sing praise to God, our highest good (Marshall)

Representative Text

1 Sing praise to God, our highest good,
profound respect expressing.
God give us health, life, livelihood,
with every needed blessing.
To God, who wondrous works performs,
creating life and calming storms,
to God give praise and glory!

2 Creation thanks you, Holy One:
you made us and renew us.
Delighted at what you have done,
you show your greatness through us.
So may all living things proclaim
the wonders of their Maker's name:
to God give praise and glory!

3 What God has made, God will preserve,
with righteousness unfailing.
Regardless what we may deserve,
we see this good prevailing.
To God who governs evermore
with justice serving rich and poor,
to God give praise and glory!

4 I cry to God, in pain and grief,
"Please, God of mercy, hear me!"
My certain help provides relief,
faith, hope, and love to cheer me.
So let me sing, joyful and free:
ah, thankful Christians, sing with me:
to God give praise and glory!

5 Forever with us, God is here,
Nor ever will desert us.
So dearly loved, we shall not fear;
there's nothing that can hurt us.
We place our trust in God's command,
who leads us with a mother's hand:
to God give praise and glory!

6 Dear Christian friends, we bear the name
of Christ, our sure salvation.
Let us recall Christ Jesus came,
most holy incarnation,
Came from the one God we adore,
came with new life forevermore:
to God give praise and glory!

Source: The New Century Hymnal #6

Author: Johann J. Schütz

Schütz, Johann Jakob, was born Sept. 7, 1640, at Frankfurt am Main. After studying at Tübingen (where he became a licentiate in civil and canon law), he began to practise as an advocate in Frankfurt, and in later years with the title of Rath. He seems to have been a man of considerable legal learning as well as of deep piety. He was an intimate friend of P. J. Spener; and it was, in great measure, at his suggestion, that Spener began his famous Collegia Pietatis. After Spener left Frankfurt, in 1686, Schütz came under the influence of J. W. Petersen; and carrying out Petersen's prin¬ciples to their logical conclusion, he became a Separatist, and ceased to attend the Lutheran services or to communicate. He died at Frankfurt, May 22, 1690… Go to person page >

Translator: Madeleine Forell Marshall

(no biographical information available about Madeleine Forell Marshall.) Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Sing praise to God, our highest good (Marshall)
German Title: Sei Lob und Ehr dem höchsten Gut
Author: Johann J. Schütz (1675)
Translator: Madeleine Forell Marshall (1993)
Meter: 8.7.8.7.8.8.7
Language: English

Tune

MIT FREUDEN ZART

MIT FREUDEN ZART has some similarities to the French chanson "Une pastourelle gentille" (published by Pierre Attaingnant in 1529) and to GENEVAN 138 (138). The tune was published in the Bohemian Brethren hymnal Kirchengesänge (1566) with Vetter's text "Mit Freuden zart su dieser Fahrt." Splendid mu…

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The New Century Hymnal #6

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