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You bring the Hymnal, I'll bring the History
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 With the exception of  “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”, this is the most widely sung hymn in Germany. During the years of 1618-1648, Europe and especially Germany where plunged into a 30 year religious war. It was during these years that Martin Rinkart was pastor of a Lutheran church in Eilenburg, Germany. Famine and deadly diseases raged throughout the land. In 1637 Rinkart buried 4480 persons who had died of an epidemic sweeping through his city. One of the persons was his dear wife. When he writes, “guide us when perplexed,“ he is not talking about minor inconveniences. The population of Germany was reduced from 16 million to 6 million during these years. Yet, Rinkart was a faithful and caring pastor, tending to the sick and hungry. Through the grief and bloodshed he looked to his Savior, and was able to thank God for the many blessings he still had. And in the midst of this suffering and death he penned the hymn we sing today during the thanksgiving season, "Now Thank We All Our God."

The tune, by Johann Cruger, was introduced with the text in 1644 while the war still raged. We can thank God even during the most trying times. We can know God is with us “in this world and the next.”

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Now thank we all our God With heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things hath done, In whom His world rejoices,
Who, from our mother's arms, Hath blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.

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

All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given,
The Son, and Him who reigns with them in highest heaven,
The one eternal God, whom earth and heav'n adore;
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.

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