Hymns Written During Past Pandemics – Part II
By Dr. Julie Barrier, Crosswalk.com
We are not alone in our distress. Godly men and women throughout the ages praised God in the midst of disease and disaster. Many great hymns of praise have been written by Christians during plagues throughout church history.
One of these hymns is Now Thank We All Our God, composed in 1636 by pastor Martin Rinckart. Eilenberg, Germany, his tiny hometown, was ravaged by the Thirty Years War. The Swedish army set siege around the city wall. War refugees seeking safety overran the crowded town. Soon after, the Bubonic plague erupted there and almost 5,000 people perished within a year. Rinckart was the only pastor left alive to bury the dead. He often performed 40-50 funerals per day, including the burial of his own wife. In the midst of such pestilence and heartbreak, Rindkart wrote:
“Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices, Who wondrous things
has done, in Whom this world rejoices. Who from our mother’s arms has blessed us
on our way with countless gifts of love and still is ours today!”
Come to Your Temple Here on Earth, composed by pastor Paul Gerhardt, was written about the same time as Rinckart. Europe was besieged with war and plague, yet these words of assurance came to this beloved pastor’s heart:
“Arise and make an end of all heartache and our pain; Your wandering flock at last recall
and grant them joy again. To peace and wealth the land restore, wasted with fire or plague
or sword, Come to Your ruined churches, Lord, and bid them bloom once more.”
Isaac Watts wrote When We Are raised from Deep Distress during the London cholera outbreak in 1666. Cholera outbreaks were prevalent in various parts of the British Empire, including parts of Asia, Europe, Africa and North America. In 1854, 23,000 people died from cholera in Great Britain. Here are Watts’ lyrics inspired by Psalm 89 and 90.
“Pains of the flesh seek to abuse our minds with slavish fears; Our days are past and we shall
lose the remnant of our years. Jehovah speaks the healing word and no disease withstands;
fevers and plagues obey the Lord and fly at His command!”
This great Congregational minister wrote 750 hymns! Watts always found a reason to praise God.
Virtual Choir Project
Rehearsal recordings are finished and ready for you to download along with copies of the sheet music. Please contact Tara (Tara@feefeebc.org) to let us know you can participate. When you give her your contact information, you will be included in all informational emails. If you do not have a way to print the music you may pick up a copy of the choral sheet on the table by office entrance.
Again, you do not need to be a current choir member to take part in this project. There is no age limitation. In fact, a multigenerational choir would be ideal!
Please consider joining in this project. We have made it easier than ever!