Michael Müller

Müller, Michael , son of Zacharias Müller, brewer at Blankenburg, in the Saxon Harz, was born at Blankenburg, January 12, 1673, studied theology at Halle under Francke and Breithaupt, and received license as a Candidate of Theology (general preacher). Just after completing his university course, in 1697, he was seized with violent hemorrhage. He so far recovered as to be able to accept the position of house tutor in the family of Gaisberg (Geyssberg) at Schaubeck, near Klein-Bottwar in Württemberg, but after a time his illness returned and he died there March 13, 1704 (Koch iv. 405; Blätter für Hymnologie, 1886, p. 146; MS. from General Superintendent G. Schönerniark, Blankenburg, &c).

Müller's principal work is his excellent version of the Psalter (Die Psalmen Davids, &c, Stuttgart, Paul Treuer, 1700. To the copy of this work in the Royal Library at Berlin there is appended (without separate title page or date, but by the same printer) his Auffmunternder Neu-Jahrs-Zuruff an die Braut, &c. This contains 5 hymns which are repeated in his Geistliche Erquickstunden, dated 1706, but without name of publisher [Wernigerode Library]. This last work contains 61 hymns on the Gospels for Sundays and Festivals, followed by hymns 62-83, on miscellaneous subjects. The first lines of all these hymns are given in the Blätter as above. Many of Müller's psalm versions came deservedly into favour in Germany, but of his hymns few are found except in the hymn books of the Separatists from 1710 to 1750. In Freylinghausen's Gesang-Buch1704 and 1714, there are 21 of his psalms and 2 of his hymns.

Those of Müller's hymns which have passed into English are—

i. Auf, Seele, auf, und säume nicht. Epiphany. First published as No. 4 in his Zuruff as above, in 34 st. of 4 1. entitled "The way to Life. On the Gospel for the Three Holy Kings Day, Luke ii." In Freylinghausen's Gesang-Buch, 1704, No. 68, st. vii., x.-xvi. were omitted, and the same form is No. 205 in the Berlin Geistliche Lieder, ed. 1863. The translation in common use is—-
Up, up, new light upon thee breaks. A free translation of st. i.-iv., xvii., xviii. xxii., xxxi., xxxii., by Dr. Kennedy, in his Hymnologia Christiana, 1863.

ii. Sieh wie lieblich und wie fein. Brotherly love. The original form of this hymn is a ver¬sion of Ps. cxxxiii. by Müller, in his Psalmen Davids, 1700, p. 244, in 4 st. of 4 1. In Freylinghausen's Gesang-Buch, 1704, No. 390, these st. are i.-iv., while st. v.-xiv. (on the subject of brotherly love) are added from the MS. of' J. C. Nehring (q.v.). This text, in 14 st., is No. 1045 in the Berlin Geistliche Lieder, ed. 1863. The form tr. into English is that in Bunsen's Versuch, 1833, No. 534, being st. i., iv., viii., x. of the above text and the following three st.:—

l.
Sonne der Gerechtigkeit,
Gehe auf zu unsrer Zeit,
Brich in deiner Kirche an
Dass die Welt es sehen kann.

2.
Jesu, Haupt der Kreuzgemein,
Mach uns alle, gross und klein,
Durch dein Evangelium
Ganz zu deinem Eigenthum.

3.
Lass die ganze Brüderschaar,
Lieben, loben immerdar,
In dir ruhen allezeit,
Immer und in Ewigkeit.

These three st. are from the Bruder Gesang-Buch, 1778, No. 711, and are by Christian David. The first and third had previously appeared in the Kleine Brüder Gesang-Buch, London, 1754, pt. ii., Bk. ii., on the Church of God, section 7. The only translation in common use is:—

Good and pleasant 'tis to see. A good translation from Bunsen, by Miss Cox, in her Sacred Hymns from the German, 1841, p. 143, repeated abridged in Alford's Psalms & Hymns, 1844, and Year of Praise, 1867, and in the Rev. F. Pott's Collection, 1861.
Other translations are, both from Bunsen's text:—(1) “Behold how sweet it is to see," by Lady E. Fortescue, 1843, p. 64. (2) "Lo! how sweet it is to see," by W. Arnot, in the Family Treasury, 1812, p. 204. . [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)