We Gather Together

We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;
He chastens and hastens His will to make known.
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.
Sing praises to His Name; He forgets not His own.

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
Ordaining, maintaining His kingdom divine;
So from the beginning the fight we were winning;
Thou, Lord, were at our side, all glory be Thine!

We all do extol Thee, Thou Leader triumphant,
And pray that Thou still our Defender will be.
Let Thy congregation escape tribulation;
Thy Name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!

BIBLE REFERENCE:

God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him. Psalm 67

O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. Psalm 98:1-2

Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. Colossians 4:2-6

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6-7

The LORD hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great. The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children. Ye are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth. The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD'S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men. The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence. But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD. Psalm 115:12-18

Theodore Baker - Translated Lyrics from
1851-1934 SPACER German to English

Born: June 3, 1851, New York, New York.
Died: October 13, 1934, Dresden, Germany.

Edward Kremser - Arranged & translated Lyrics
1838-1914 SPACER from Dutch to Latin

Born: April 10, 1838, Vienna, Austria.
Died: November 27, 1914, Vienna, Austria.
Buried: Zentralfriedhof, Vienna, Austria.

HYMN HISTORY:

No Thanksgiving Day service would be complete without the singing of this traditional Dutch Hymn. Today, we sing this hymn as an expression of thanks to God as our defender and guide throughout the past year. The text was originally written by an anonymous author, at the end of the sixteenth century, to celebrate the Dutch freedom from the Spanish overlords, who had been driven from their land, and the freedom that was theirs, both politically from Spain and religiously from the Catholic Church. A number of Dutch nationalistic songs developed as a result of this patriotic emphasis. “We Gather together” is generally considered to be the finest of these musical expressions. It was first published in Adrian Valerius’ Nederlandtsche Gedenckclanck, in 1626, in Haarleem. For the next two centuries, the singing of this hymn was limited to the Dutch people. In 1877, it was discovered by Edward Kremser, a Viennese musician, who published it in his collection entitled Sechs Altniederlanddische Volkslieder. The English translation of this text was made by Theodore Baker, in 1894, and it appeared in Dutch Folk Songs (1917) compiled by Coenraad V. Bos.

“We Gather Together” must be understood and appreciated from its historical setting. For many years, Holland had been under the scourge of Spain, and in 1576, Antwerp was captured and sacked by the Spanish armies. Again, 1585, it was captured by the Spanish and all of the Protestant citizens were exiled. Many other Dutch cities suffered similar fates. One of the revered leaders of this struggle against Spain was William the Silent, who eventually was murdered by a Catholic assassin. In 1625, his youngest son, Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange, assumed the leadership of the Union of Dutch Provinces. Under his able leadership for more than a quarter century, a great golden age of prosperity and rich post-reformation culture developed throughout Holland. Commerce was expanded around the world, and this was the period of great Dutch art, with such well-known painters as Rembrandt and Vermeer. In 1648, the Spanish endeavors to control Holland were finally destroyed beyond recovery.

One can readily see the references to these historical events throughout the hymn’s text: “The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing,” “so from the beginning the fight we were winning,” as well as the concern, in the final stanza, that God will continue to defend–”and we pray that Thou still our defender will be.”

The tune, “Kremser,” was named after the Viennese musician, who discovered and published this hymn after two centuries of neglect. The original melody is thought to be a folk song from the Netherlands. Edward Kremser was born on April 10, 1838, in Vienna, Austria, and died there on November 27, 1914. He was a noted choral director as well as the composer and publisher of numerous vocal and instrumental works.

The English translator of this text, Theodore Baker, was born in New York City on June 3, 1851. He was highly respected as a noted music researcher. His famous Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, first published in 1900, became an authoritative, reference book for all serious students of music. From 1892 to 1926, Baker served as literary editor for the G. Schirmer Music Company. Upon his retirement in 1926, Theodore Baker returned to Germany, where he had relieved his earlier musical training, and died in Dresden, Germany, on October 13, 1934.

101 More Hymn Stories by Kenneth W. Osbeck

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This Hymn "We Gather Together" gives Myra and myself an opportunity to personally say thank you to those who have written us with words of encouragement and also to those who have given financially. Many of you tell us how much this Ministry means to you and the different ways in which your are blessed by it. We give God all the glory. For those who have not yet written we encourage you to do so. You're email's are so uplifting to us. As a couple we covet your prayers foremost and also your financial support which enables us to continue to spread the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A Hymn and its History is a ministry that depends solely upon the Lord for his guidance.
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