Now thank we all our God,
with heart and hands and voices,
who wondrous things have done,
in whom this world rejoices;
who from our mothers’ arms
has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts
and blessed peace to cheer us;
and keep us still in grace,
and guide us when perplexed;
and free us from all ills,
in this world and the next.All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given;
the Son, and him who reigns
with them in highest heaven;
the one eternal God,
whom earth and heaven adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.
NOW THANK WE ALL OUR GOD – A Testimony of Martin Rinkart.
Hymn Story
Martin Rinkart was born on April 13, 1586, in Eilenberg, Saxony, Germany. He was a chorister in the famous. St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, Germany, and received his ordination to the ministry of the Lutheran church through the University of Leipzig. At the age 13 he was called to be the pastor in his native town. He arrived there at the beginning of the Thirty Years’ War, which lasted from 1618 through 1648
Because Eilenberg was a walled city, it became a severely overcrowded refuge for political and military fugitives from far and near. As a result, the entire city suffered from famine and disease. The Rinkart home served as a refuge for the afflicted victims, even though it is said that Martin often had difficulty in providing food and clothing for his own family.
The Plague of 1637 was particularly severe. At that time Rinkart was the only remaining minister because the others had either died or fled. Rinkart alone conducted funeral services for 4,480 people, sometimes conducting as many as fifty funeral services a day. One of these services was for his own wife.
During the closing years of war, Eilenberg was overrun three times by invading armies. During one of the occupations by the Swedish army, there came the demand that a tribute payment of 30,000 thalers be made by these already impoverished people. Rinkart interceded with the leaders of the army. The commander would not consider his request for lowering the payment.
Rinkart then turn to his parishioners and said, “Come, my children, we can find no mercy with man; let us take refuge with God.” On his Knees, Rinkart led them in prayer and in the singing of a familiar hymn. The commander was so moved that he lowered the payment to 1,350 thalers. Soon after this event, the Thirty Years’ War ended.
Rinkart responded to all the hardships he had faced during the ‘Thirty Years’ War by writing the hymn of praise ‘Now Thank We All Our God.” The hymn is a testimony that God’s providence is always good.