Martin Rinckart

THE FIRST TWO LINES HAUNTED ME FOR WEEKS, AND AT LAST BROUGHT LIGHT AND COMFORT TO MY DARK SOUL.

now thank we all our god by martin rinkart the thirty years war in germany from sixteen eighteen to sixteen forty eight devastated the land and inflicted incredible hardships on a long-suffering people but the german protestants remained true to their faith and bore their trials bravely for conscience sake at last winning honorable respite from their sufferings in the peace of westphalia october twenty fourth sixteen forty eight among the bravest of the sufferers from the war was the rev martin rinkart who wrote the hymn originally in german now thank we all our god it is generally supposed that he wrote it as a te deum of praise because of the restoration of peace at the close of the thirty years of horrible strife Catherine Winkworth, who translated this hymn into English, once wrote of him, So great were Rinkhart's own losses and charities that he had the utmost difficulty in finding bread and clothes for his children, and was forced to mortgage his future income for several years.

yet how little his spirit was broken by all these calamities is shown by this hymn and others that he wrote, some indeed speaking of his own country's sorrows, but all breathing the same spirit of unbound trust and readiness to give thanks.

Rinkhart was a skilled musician, as well as a poet, and besides he wrote seven dramas based upon the Restoration period which were produced at the 100th anniversary of the Reformation.

This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, read by Halls.

Now Thank We All Our God by Martin Rinkart.

The Thirty Years' War in Germany from 1618 to 1648 devastated the land and inflicted incredible hardships on a long-suffering people.

But the German Protestants remained true to their faith and bore their trials bravely for conscience's sake, at last winning honorable respite from their sufferings in the Peace of Westphalia, October 24, 1648.

Among the bravest of the sufferers from the war was the Reverend Martin Rinkart, who wrote the hymn originally in German, Now Thank We All Our God.

It is generally supposed that he wrote it as a Te Deum of praise because of the restoration of peace at the close of the Thirty Years of Horrible Strife.

Catherine Winkworth, who translated this hymn into English, once wrote of him, So great were Rinkart's own losses and charities that he had the utmost difficulty in finding bread and clothes for his children and was forced to mortgage his future income for several years.