Posted on 11/28/2013 5:08:34 PM PST by Louis Foxwell
1 We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing; he chastens and hastens his will to make known; the wicked oppressing now cease from distressing. Sing praises to his name; he forgets not his own.
2 Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining, ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine; so from the beginning the fight we were winning; thou, Lord, wast at our side; all glory be thine!
3 We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant, and pray that thou still our defender wilt be. Let thy congregation escape tribulation; thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!
Source: Glory to God: the Presbyterian Hymnal #336
With apologies to the Knish list.
I was touched this evening by the depth and power of this old hymn. I pray it finds you in a spirit of warmth knowing that we seek His face even in these darkening days.
Be sure to play the music at the link.
Louis
Yes, that brings back memories.
It certainly does.
Great hymn. The words are classic and it is not PC.
We sung it at my mother’s funeral. The pastor was curious until he read the words anew.
Love this one.
Oldplayer
I have always loved that song.
I learned that (along with “Come Thou, Almighty King”) in PUBLIC School.
Which gives you an idea of how OLD i am. LOL.
“We Gather Together” is actually a war song, to celebrate the Dutch victory over the Spaniards at Turnhout in 1597, during the 80 Years War. Here is the original version in Dutch:
Wilt heden nu treden voor God, den Heere,
Hem boven al loven van harte zeer,
En maken groot zijns lieven namens eere,
Die daar nu onzen vijand slaat terneer.
Ter eeren ons Heeren wilt al uw dagen
Dit wonder bijzonder gedenken toch.
Maakt u, o mensch, voor God steeds wel te dragen,
Doet ieder recht en wacht u voor bedrog!
Bidt, waket en maket, dat g’in bekoring
En ’t kwade met schade toch niet en valt.
Uw vroomheid brengt den vijand tot verstoring,
Al waar’ zijn rijk nog eens zoo sterk bewald!
We used to sing that in elementary school. I guess they don’t do that any more.
My favorite a Thanksgiving hymn ! Thanks!
Wir Treten zum Beten (We're Coming to Pray; We Gather Together)--Richard Tauber (1930)
"Come Thou, Almighty King" can be sung to the tune of "God Save the King."
There's a story that during the American Revolution, a British band played "God Save the King" at a ceremony in British-occupied New York City. However, the Americans in attendance instead sang, "Come Thou, Almighty King."
That is a cool story!
However, I learned it with the traditional tune. I learned it in the 2nd grade, and it was the first time I ever heard the Name for God...”Ancient of Days”. I Fell in LOVE with that Name. It was so Mighty and Mysterious, and something about it thrilled my little 7 year old soul.
Lovely...thanks.
Thank you for posting this. I was going crazy the other night tying to remember the 3rd verse :-)
"Nun Danket Alle Gott" (Now Thank We All Our God) also emerged from a war. Martin Rinkart, who wrote it, was a pastor in Eilenburg, Saxony, in what is now East Germany. The town suffered a bubonic plague outbreak and a famine that left thousands dead, including all of the other pastors.
From various sources I have read, Rinkart may have written the hymn before the war, during the plague and famine, or for a feast to celebrate the Truce of Kötzschenbroda on August 27, 1645, which ended the war in Saxony. In any case, in 1647, Johann Crüger, who wrote the music for many hymns, set it to the tune to which we sing it today.
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