Thanks for being a Hymnary.org user. You are one of more than 10 million people from 200-plus countries around the world who have benefitted from the Hymnary website in 2024! If you feel moved to support our work today with a gift of any amount and a word of encouragement, we would be grateful.

You can donate online at our secure giving site.

Or, if you'd like to make a gift by check, please make it out to CCEL and mail it to:
Christian Classics Ethereal Library, 3201 Burton Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
And may the promise of Advent be yours this day and always.

Strive when thou art called of God

Strive aright when God doth call thee

Author: Johann Joseph Winckler (1703); Translator: Catherine Winkworth (1855)
Tune: BATTY (123123)
Published in 19 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, MusicXML
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 Strive, when thou art called of God,
When he draws thee by his grace,
Strive to cast away the load
That would hinder in the race.

2 Fight, though it may cost thy life;
Storm the kingdom, but prevail;
Let not Satan’s fiercest strife
Make thee, warrior, faint or quail.

3 Art thou faithful? Wake and watch,
Love with all thy heart Christ’s ways;
Seek not worldly ease to snatch,
Look not for reward or praise.

4 Soldiers of the cross, be strong!
Watch and war through fear or pain,
Daily conquering sin and wrong,
Till our King o’er earth shall reign.


Source: The Song Book of the Salvation Army #816

Author: Johann Joseph Winckler

Winckler, John Joseph, a German Pietist, was born at Luckau, in Saxony, December 23, 1670. He was at first a pastor at Magdeburg, then a chaplain in the Protestant army, accompanying the troops to Holland and Italy, and at length returned to Magdeburg and became chief minister of the cathedral. He was no less eminent for his mental culture than for his piety. He was a preacher and writer who had the courage of his convictions, and this quality is notably manifest in the hymn by him found in this collection. He died August 11, 1722. Shall I, for fear of feeble man 225 Hymn Writers of the Church Nutter… Go to person page >

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 >

Text Information

First Line: Strive aright when God doth call thee
Title: Strive when thou art called of God
German Title: Ringe recht wenn Gottes Gnade
Author: Johann Joseph Winckler (1703)
Translator: Catherine Winkworth (1855)
Meter: 7.7.7.7
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #5933
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)

Instances

Instances (1 - 2 of 2)
TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #5933

Text

The Song Book of the Salvation Army #816

Include 17 pre-1979 instances
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us
It looks like you are using an ad-blocker. Ad revenue helps keep us running. Please consider white-listing Hymnary.org or getting Hymnary Pro to eliminate ads entirely and help support Hymnary.org.