Now Thank We All Our God (Hymn)

Now thank we all our God is a timeless Christian hymn of gratitude, faith, and divine providence, made during the hardships of the Thirty Years’ War. This powerful song calls believers to give thanks for God’s wondrous works, trust in His sustaining grace, and worship His eternal reign.

VERSE 1
Now thank we all our God
With heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done,
In whom His world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms
has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.

VERSE 2
O may this bounteous God
Through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts
and blessed peace to cheer us,
To keep us in His grace,
And guide us when perplexed,
And free us from all ills
Of this world in the next.

VERSE 3
All praise and thanks to God
The Father now be given,
The Son and Spirit blest,
Who reign in highest heaven
The one eternal God,
Whom heaven and earth adore;
For thus it was, is now,
And shall be evermore.

Story Behind the Song

In the early 17th century, amidst the turmoil of the Thirty Years’ War, German Lutheran pastor Martin Rinkart served in Eilenburg, Saxony. The war brought immense hardship, including famine and a devastating plague in 1637. [1]

Despite these challenges, Rinkart remained steadfast in his faith, ministering to the afflicted and conducting numerous funerals daily. During this period, he penned the hymn Now Thank We All Our God (originally Nun danket alle Gott) around 1636. [2]

Initially intended as a simple family prayer before meals, the hymn’s message of gratitude and trust in God resonated deeply with those enduring the war’s hardships. Its uplifting words provided comfort and hope, leading to its widespread adoption in both religious and national contexts. [3]

The hymn was later translated into English by Catherine Winkworth in the 19th century, further extending its reach and impact. Today, Now Thank We All Our God stands as a testament to unwavering faith and thankfulness in the face of adversity. [4]