All Praise To Thee, Eternal Lord
All Praise to Thee, Eternal Lord
All praise to Thee, eternal Lord,
Clothed in a garb of flesh and blood;
Choosing a manger for Thy throne,
While worlds on worlds are Thine alone.
Once did the skies before Thee bow,
A Virgin’s arms contain Thee now;
Angels, who did in Thee rejoice,
Now listen for Thine infant voice.
A little child, Thou art our guest,
That weary ones in Thee may rest;
Forlorn and lowly is Thy birth,
That we may rise to heaven from earth.
Thou comest in the darksome night,
To make us children of the light,
To make us in the realms divine,
Like Thine own angels, ’round Thee shine.
All this for us Thy love hath done,
By this to Thee our love is won,
For this we tune our cheerful lays,
And shout our thanks in ceaseless praise.
Translator Unknown, 1858
BY THE TIME of Martin Luther, most people saw God as shrouded in mystery. Bible study had been relegated to the monastery, theology to the memorization of Latin phrases, and hymn singing to the choir loft. Martin Luther sought to change this, translating the Bible, the catechism, and hymns into German—the language of his people. This allowed everyone to hear God’s Word directly and to express praise in their own tongue.
This Christmas hymn appeared originally in Latin and has been attributed to Gregory the Great of the sixth century. Despite Luther’s disagreements with the Roman church, he realized that its hymns and traditions contained much of value. Luther’s translation of this Latin hymn illustrates his mission to make seeking and worshiping God an activity of the common person.
When the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts.
Galatians 4:4-6
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