"Now thanks be unto God." 2 Corinthians 2:14
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Words: Martin Rinkart, circa 1636 (Nun danket alle Gott); first appeared in Praxis Pietatis Melica (Devotional Tunes, Sweet as Honey) by Johann Crnger (Berlin, Germany: 1647); translated from German to English by Catherine Winkworth, 1856.
Music: "Nun Danket," attributed to Johann Crnger, 1647; harmony by Felix Mendelssohn, 1840
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Martin Rinkart (1586-1649) was a Lutheran minister in Eilenburg, Saxony. During the Thirty Years' War, the walled city of Eilenburg saw a steady stream of refugees pour through its gates. The Swedish army surrounded the city, and famine and plague were rampant. Eight hundred homes were destroyed, and the people began to perish. There was a tremendous strain on the pastors who had to conduct dozens of funerals daily. Finally, the pastors, too, succumbed, and Rinkart was the only one left-doing 50 funerals a day. When the Swedes demanded a huge ransom, Rinkart left the safety of the walls to plead for mercy. The Swedish commander, impressed by his faith and courage, lowered his demands. Soon afterward, the Thirty Years' War ended, and Rinkart wrote this hymn for a grand celebration service. It is a testament to his faith that, after such misery, he was able to write a hymn of abiding trust and gratitude toward God.