Martin Rinkart (1586–1649)

Martin Rinkart, or Rinckart (23 April 1586 – 8 December 1649) was a German clergyman and hymnist. He is best known for the text to "Now thank we all our God" (Nun danket alle Gott), which was written ca. 1636. It was set to music by Johann Crüger about 1647, and translated into English in the 19th century by Catherine Winkworth.

Rinkart was a deacon at Eisleben and archdeacon at Eilenburg, where he was born and also died. He served there during the Thirty Years' War and a severe plague in 1637.

German pastor Martin Rinkart served in the walled town of Eilenburg during the horrors of the Thirty Years War of 1618-1648. Eilenburg became an overcrowded refuge for the surrounding area. The fugitives suffered from epidemic and famine. At the beginning of 1637, the year of the Great Pestilence, there were four ministers in Eilenburg. But one abandoned his post for healthier areas and could not be persuaded to return. Pastor Rinkart officiated at the funerals of the other two. As the only pastor left, he often conducted services for as many as 40 to 50 persons a day—some 4,480 in all. In May of that year, his own wife died. By the end of the year, the refugees had to be buried in trenches without services.

Now Thank We All Our God [edit]

Yet living in a world dominated by death, Pastor Rinkart wrote the following prayer for his children to offer to the Lord:

Now thank we all our God

With hearts and hands and voices;

Who wondrous things hath done,

In whom this world rejoices.

Who, from our mother's arms,

Hath led us on our way,

With countless gifts of love,

And still is ours today.

External links [edit]

• Biography at the Cyber Hymnal
• Rinkart's article at Bach-Cantatas.com

v t e Lutheran Hymnody Hymns A Mighty Fortress Is Our God Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir Christ Lay in Death's Bonds Es ist das Heil uns kommen her Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ God's Word Is Our Great Heritage Herr Christ, der einig Gotts Sohn How Lovely Shines the Morning Star Jesus Loves Me Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming Nun bitten wir den Heiligen Geist Now come, Saviour of the gentiles Now Thank We All Our God O Lord, Look Down from Heaven O Dearest Jesus, What Law Hast Thou Broken O Sacred Head, Now Wounded Passion Hymns Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying Was willst du dich betrüben Hymnals Erfurt Enchiridion Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary Evangelical Lutheran Worship First Lutheran hymnal Hymns of Zion Lutheran Book of Worship Lutheran Hymnal Lutheran Hymnal with Supplement Christian Worship Hymnal Lutheran Service Book Lutheran Worship Service Book and Hymnal Topics Cantata Chorale Chorale cantata (Bach) Chorale prelude Hymn of the day Passion music People Johann Sebastian Bach Dieterich Buxtehude Elisabeth Cruciger Johann Crüger Simon Dach Paul Gerhardt Nikolaj Frederik Severin Grundtvig Claus Harms Johann Heermann Nikolaus Herman Sebald Heyden Justus Jonas Balthasar Kindermann Martin Luther Felix Mendelssohn Philipp Nicolai Johann Pachelbel Hallgrímur Pétursson Michael Praetorius Sigfrid Karg-Elert Martin Rinkart Johann von Rist Carl Schalk Cyriakus Schneegass Heinrich Schütz Paul Speratus N. Samuel of Tranquebar Jaroslav Vajda Johann Walter Catherine Winkworth Johannes Zahn

Persondata
Name	Rinkart, Martin
Alternative names
Short description	German clergyman and hymnist
Date of birth	23 April 1586
Place of birth
Date of death	8 December 1649
Place of death

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