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To us salvation now has come
Author: Paul Speratus, D. D.; Dr. Henry Mills Appears in 11 hymnals Lyrics: 1 To us salvation now has come,
God's wondrous grace revealing;
Works never can avert our doom,
They have no power of healing.
Faith looks to God's beloved Son,
Who has for us deliv'rance won,
He is our great Redeemer!
2 What God's most holy precept claims
No child of Adam renders;
But from the throne dread vengeance flames,
And speaks the curse in thunders.
The flesh ne'er prompts those pure desires
That 'bove all else the Law requires:
Relief by Law is hopeless!
3 But all the Law must be fulfilled,
Or we must sink despairing;
Then came the Son—-so God had willed,--
Our human nature sharing,
Who for us all the Law obeyed,
And thus His Father's vengeance stayed,
Which over us impended.
4 Now to the God of matchless grace,
To Father, Son, and Spirit,
We lift our highest songs of praise,
All praise His favors merit.
All He has said He will perform,
And save us by His mighty arm, --
His worthy name be hallowed! Topics: The Catechism Justification; Sunday after Christmas; Sunday after New Year's; Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity; Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity; Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity Used With Tune: LUTHER'S HYMN
To us salvation now has come
LUTHER'S HYMN
Appears in 57 hymnals Composer and/or Arranger: Dr. Martin Luther Tune Key: G Major Incipit: 11514 32112 43267 Used With Text: To us salvation now has come
LUTHER'S HYMN
[To us salvations now is come]
Meter: 8.7.8.7.8.8.7 Appears in 2 hymnals Tune Sources: German, 1523 Tune Key: F Major Incipit: 11514 32132 45176 Used With Text: To us salvation now is come
[To us salvations now is come]
To us salvation now is come
Author: P. Speratus Hymnal: The Lutheran Hymnary #205 (1913) Meter: 8.7.8.7.8.8.7 Lyrics: 1 To us salvation now is come,
Through free-est grace and favor,
Our works could not avert our doom,
Thy keep and save us never;
Faith looks to Jesus Christ alone,
Who did for all the world atone;
He is our one Redeemer.
2 What God doth in His law demand,
No man to Him doth render;
Before His bar all guilty stand;
His law speaks curse in thunder
The law demands a perfect heart;
We were defiled in every part,
And lost was our condition.
3 False dreams deluded minds did fill,
That God His law did tender,
As if to Him we could, at will,
The due obedience render:
The law is but a mirror bright
To bring the inbred sin to sight,
That lurks within our nature.
4 To cleanse ourselves from sinful stain,
According to our pleasure,
Was labor lost--works were in vain--
Sin grew beyond all measure;
For when with power the precept came,
It did reveal sin's guilt and shame
And awful condemnation.
5 Still all the law fulfilled must be,
Else we were lost forever,
Then God His Son sent down that He
Might us from doom deliver;
He all the law for us fulfilled
And thus His Father's anger stilled
Which over us impended.
6 As Christ hath full atonement made
And brought to us salvation,
So may each Christian now be glad
And build on this foundation:
Thy grace alone, dear Lord, I plead,
Thy death now is my life indeed,
For Thou hast paid my ransom.
7 Not doubting this, I trust in Thee,
Thy word cannot be broken,
Thou all dost call, "Come to Me!"
No falsehood hast Thou spoken:
"He who believes and is baptized,
He shall be saved," say'st Thou, O Christ,
And he shall never perish.
8 The just is he--and he alone--
Who by this faith is living,
The faith that by good works is shown,
To God the glory giving;
Faith gives thee peace with God above,
But thou thy neighbor, too, must love,
If thou art new created.
9 The law reveals the guilt of sin,
And makes man conscience-stricken
The gospel then doth enter in,
The sin-sick soul to quicken:
Come to the cross, look up and live!
The law no peace to thee doth give,
Nor can its deeds afford it.
10 Faith to the cross of Christ doth cling
And rest in Him securely;
And forth from it good works must spring
As fruits and tokens surely;
Still faith doth justify alone,
Works serve thy neighbor and make known
The faith that lives within thee.
11 Hope waits for the accepted hour--
Till God give joy for mourning,
When He displays His healing power,
Thy sighs to songs are turning;
Thy needs are known unto thy Lord,
And He is faithful to His word,
This is our hope's foundation.
12 Though it may seem, He hears thee not,
Count not thyself forsaken;
Thy wants are ne'er by Him forgot,
Let this thy hope awaken;
His word is sure, here is thy stay,
Although thy heart to this saith nay,
Let not thy faith be shaken.
13 All blessing, honor, thanks and praise,
To Father, Son and Spirit,
The God who saved us by His grace,
All glory to His merit:
O Father in the heavens above,
The work begun performs Thy love,
Thy worthy name be hallowed.
14 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done
In earth, as 'tis in heaven:
Keep us in life, by grace led on,
Forgiving and forgiven;
Save Thou us in temptation's hour,
And from all ills; Thine is the power,
And all the glory, Amen! Topics: The Church Year Christmas; The Church Year Sunday after Christmas; Justification; Law of God; Salvation Tune Title: [To us salvations now is come]
To us salvation now is come
To us salvation now has come
Hymnal: Evangelical Lutheran Hymnal. 9th ed. #a249 (1895) Lyrics: 1 To us salvation now has come,
God's wondrous grace revealing;
Works never can avert our doom,
They have no power of healing.
Faith looks to God's beloved Son,
Who has for us deliv'rance won,
He is our great Redeemer!
2 What God's most holy precept claims
No child of Adam renders;
But from the throne dread vengeance flames,
And speaks the curse in thunders.
The flesh ne'er prompts those pure desires
That 'boce all else the Law requires
Relief by Law is hopeless!
3 But all the Law must be fulfilled,
Or we must sink despairing;
Then came the Son—-so God had willed,--
Our human nature sharing,
Who for us all the Law obeyed,
And thus His Father's vengeance stayed,
Which over us impended.
4 Now to the God of matchless grace,
To Father, Son, and Spirit,
We lift our highest songs of praise,
All praise His favors merit.
All He has said He will perform,
And save us by His mighty arm, --
His worthy name be hallowed! Topics: The Catechism Justification Languages: English
To us salvation now has come
To us salvation now has come
Hymnal: Evangelical Lutheran Hymnal #249 (1880) Lyrics: 1 To us salvation now has come,
God's wondrous grace revealing;
Works never can avert our doom,
They have no power of healing.
Faith looks to God's beloved Son,
Who has for us deliv'rance won,
He is our great Redeemer!
2 What God's most holy precept claims
No child of Adam renders;
But from the throne dread vengeance flames,
And speaks the curse in thunders.
The flesh ne'er prompts those pure desires
That 'boce all else the Law requires
Relief by Law is hopeless!
3 But all the Law must be fulfilled,
Or we must sink despairing;
Then came the Son—-so God had willed,--
Our human nature sharing,
Who for us all the Law obeyed,
And thus His Father's vengeance stayed,
Which over us impended.
4 Now to the God of matchless grace,
To Father, Son, and Spirit,
We lift our highest songs of praise,
All praise His favors merit.
All He has said He will perform,
And save us by His mighty arm, --
His worthy name be hallowed! Topics: The Catechism Justification Languages: English
To us salvation now has come
Martin Luther
1483 - 1546 Person Name: Dr. Martin Luther Composer of "LUTHER'S HYMN" in Evangelical Lutheran hymnal Luther, Martin, born at Eisleben, Nov. 10, 1483; entered the University of Erfurt, 1501 (B.A. 1502, M.A.. 1503); became an Augustinian monk, 1505; ordained priest, 1507; appointed Professor at the University of Wittenberg, 1508, and in 1512 D.D.; published his 95 Theses, 1517; and burnt the Papal Bull which had condemned them, 1520; attended the Diet of Worms, 1521; translated the Bible into German, 1521-34; and died at Eisleben, Feb. 18, 1546. The details of his life and of his work as a reformer are accessible to English readers in a great variety of forms. Luther had a huge influence on German hymnody.
i. Hymn Books.
1. Ellich cristlich lider Lobgesang un Psalm. Wittenberg, 1524. [Hamburg Library.] This contains 8 German hymns, of which 4 are by Luther.
2. Eyn Enchiridion oder Handbuchlein. Erfurt, 1524 [Goslar Library], with 25 German hymns, of which 18 are by Luther.
3. Geystliche Gesangk Buchleyn. Wittenberg, 1524 [Munich Library], with 32 German hymns, of which 24 are by Luther.
4. Geistliche Lieder auffs new gebessert. Wittenberg. J. Klug, 1529. No copy of this book is now known, but there was one in 1788 in the possession of G. E. Waldau, pastor at Nürnberg, and from his description it is evident that the first part of the Rostock Gesang-Buch, 1531, is a reprint of it. The Rostock Gesang-Buch, 1531, was reprinted by C. M. Wiechmann-Kadow at Schwerin in 1858. The 1529 evidently contained 50 German hymns, of which 29 (including the Litany) were by Luther.
5. Geistliche Lieder auffs new gebessert. Erfurt. A. Rauscher, 1531 [Helmstädt, now Wolfenbüttel Library], a reprint of No. 4.
6. Geistliche Lieder. Wittenberg. J. Klug, 1535 [Munich Library. Titlepage lost], with 52 German hymns, of which 29 are by Luther.
7. Geistliche Lieder auffs new gebessert. Leipzig. V. Schumann, 1539 [Wernigerode Library], with 68 German hymns, of which 29 are by Luther.
8. Geistliche Lieder. Wittenberg. J. Klug, 1543 [Hamburg Library], with 61 German hymns, of which 35 are by Luther.
9. Geystliche Lieder. Leipzig. V. Babst, 1545 [Gottingen Library]. This contains Luther's finally revised text, but adds no new hymns by himself. In pt. i. are 61 German hymns, in pt. ii. 40, of which 35 in all are by Luther.
For these books Luther wrote three prefaces, first published respectively in Nos. 3, 4, 9. A fourth is found in his Christliche Geseng, Lateinisch und Deudsch, zum Begrebnis, Wittenberg, J. Klug, 1542. These four prefaces are reprinted in Wackernagel’s Bibliographie, 1855, pp. 543-583, and in the various editions of Luther's Hymns. Among modern editions of Luther's Geistliche Lieder may be mentioned the following:—
Carl von Winterfeld, 1840; Dr. C. E. P. Wackernagel, 1848; Q. C. H. Stip, 1854; Wilhelm Schircks, 1854; Dr. Danneil, 1883; Dr. Karl Gerok, 1883; Dr. A. F. W. Fischer, 1883; A. Frommel, 1883; Karl Goedeke, 1883, &c. In The Hymns of Martin Luther. Set to their original melodies. With an English version. New York, 1883, ed. by Dr. Leonard Woolsey Bacon and Nathan H. Allen, there are the four prefaces, and English versions of all Luther's hymns, principally taken more or less altered, from the versions by A. T. Russell, R. Massie and Miss Winkworth [repub. in London, 1884]. Complete translations of Luther's hymns have been published by Dr. John Anderson, 1846 (2nd ed. 1847), Dr. John Hunt, 1853, Richard Massie, 1854, and Dr. G. Macdonald in the Sunday Magazine, 1867, and his Exotics, 1876. The other versions are given in detail in the notes on the individual hymns.
ii. Classified List of Luther's Hymns. Of Luther's hymns no classification can be quite perfect, e.g. No. 3 (see below) takes hardly anything from the Latin, and No. 18 hardly anything from the Psalm. No. 29 is partly based on earlier hymns (see p. 225, i.). No. 30 is partly based on St. Mark i. 9-11, and xvi., 15, 16 (see p. 226, ii.). No. 35 is partly based on St. Luke ii. 10-16. The following arrangement, however, will answer all practical purposes.
A. Translations from the Latin.
i. From Latin Hymns:
1. Christum wir sollen loben schon. A solis ortus cardine
2. Der du bist drei in Einigkeit. O Lux beata Trinitas.
3. Jesus Christus unser Heiland, Der von. Jesus Christus nostra salus
4. Komm Gott Schopfer, heiliger Geist. Veni Creator Spiritus, Mentes.
5. Nun komm der Beidenheiland. Veni Redemptor gentium
6. Was flirchst du Feind Herodes sehr. A solis ortus cardine
ii. From Latin Antiphons, &c.:
7. Herr Gott dich loben wir. Te Deum laudamus.
8. Verleih uns Frieden gnädiglich. Dapacem, Domine
9. Wir glauben all an einen Gott.
iii. Partly from the Latin, the translated stanzas being adopted from Pre-Reformation Versions:
10. Komm, heiliger Geist, Herre Gott.
11. Mitten wir im Leben sind. Media vita in morte sumus.
B. Hymns revised and enlarged from Pre-Reformation popular hymns.
12. Gelobet seist du Jesus Christ.
13. Gott der Vater wohn uns bei.
14. Gott sei gelobet und gebenedeiet.
15. Nun bitten wir den heiligen Geist.
C. Psalm versions.
16. Ach Gott vom Himmel, sieh darein.
17. Aus tiefer Noth schrei ich zu dir.
18. Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott.
19. Es spricht der Unweisen Mund wohl.
20. Es wollt uns Gott genädig sein.
21. War Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit.
22. Wohl dem, der in Gotten Furcht steht.
D. Paraphrases of other portions of Holy Scripture.
23. Diess sind die heilgen zehn Gebot.
24. Jesaia dem Propheten das geschah.
25. Mensch willt du leben seliglich.
26. Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin.
27. Sie ist mir lieb die werthe Magd.
28. Vater unser im Himmelreich.
E. Hymns mainly Original.
29. Christ lag in Todesbanden.
30. Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam.
31. Ein neues Lied wir heben an.
32. Erhalt uns Herr bei deinem Wort.
33. Jesus Christus unser Heiland, Der den,
34. Nun freut euch lieben Christengemein.
35. Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her.
36. Vom Himmel kam der Engel Schaar.
In addition to these —
37. Fur alien Freuden auf Erden.
38. Kyrie eleison.
In the Blätter fur Hymnologie, 1883, Dr. Daniel arranges Luther's hymns according to what he thinks their adaptation to modern German common use as follows:—
i. Hymns which ought to be included in every good Evangelical hymn-book: Nos. 7-18, 20, 22, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 35, 36, 38.
ii. Hymns the reception of which into a hymn-book might be contested: Nos. 2, 3, 4, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 33.
iii. Hymns not suited for a hymn-book: Nos. 1, 5, 6, 27, 31, 37.
[Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
Martin Luther
Paulus Speratus
1484 - 1554 Person Name: Paul Speratus, D. D. Author of "To us salvation now has come" in Evangelical Lutheran hymnal Speratus, Paulus, D.D., was born in Swabia, Dec. 13, 1484. In a poem, written circa 1516, on Dr. J. Eck, he calls himself Elephangius, i.e. of Ellwangen; and in his correspondence, preserved at Königsberg, he often styles himself "a Rutilis" or "von Rötlen." These facts would seem to indicate that he was born at the castle of Röthlen, near Ellwangen. This property belonged to the Probst of the ecclesiastical corporation at Ellwangen, and Speratus's father was probably their bailiff or agent. The family name seems to have been Hoffer or Offer, and to have been in later years, following a practice common in the 16th cent., Latinized by himself into Speratus. He is probably the "Paul Offer de Ellwangen," who matri¬culated at the University of Freiburg (Baden) in l503. He is also said to have studied at Paris, and at some of the Italian universities.
In 1518 we find him settled as a preacher at Dinkelsbühl, in Bavaria. In the end of that year he was invited to become preacher in the cathedral at Würzburg. He went to Würzburg in Feb. 1519, but his preaching was much too evangelical for the new bishop, and he had to leave, apparently in the beginning of 1520. Proceeding to Salzburg he preached for sometime in the cathedral, until the archbishop there also would not tolerate his pronounced opinions. He left Salzburg in the autumn of 1520, and went to Vienna, where he appears to have graduated D.D. at the University. He was already married (probably as early as 1519), and was one of the first priests who had dared to take this step. After a violent sermon against marriage, delivered by a monk in St. Peter's church, at Vienna, the governor of Lower Austria (Count Leonhard von Zech) asked Speratus to make a reply. With the consent of the bishop he did so, and preached, on Jan. 12, 1522, a sermon in the cathedral (St. Stephen's), founded on the Epistle for the 1st Sunday after the Epiphany, in which he expressed his opinions very freely regarding the monastic life and enforced celibacy, and also clearly set forth the doctrine of Justification by Faith. This sermon (published at Königsberg in 1524) made a great impression, and was condemned by the Theological Faculty at Vienna, who also prevented Speratus from accepting an invitation to become preacher at Ofen, near Vienna.
On his way from Vienna to the north he stayed at Iglau in Moravia, where the abbot of the Dominican monastery appointed him as preacher. Here the people became greatly enamoured of him and of the Reformation doctrines,and stood firmly by him, notwithstanding the remonstrances and threats of the king, and of the bishop of Olmütz. In the summer of 1523 king Ludwig came to Olmütz and summoned Speratus to him. Without even the form of a trial he put him in prison, but after three months he released him, probably through the influence of his queen (Maria of Hungary), and of his cousin, the Margrave Albrecht of Brandenburg, but on the condition of his leaving Iglau and Moravia. In the end of 1523 Speratus came to Wittenberg, where he worked with Luther, and assisted him in the preparation of the first Lutheran hymn book (the Etlich cristlich lider. It contained 4 German hymns by Luther, 3 by Speratus, and 1 anonymous German hymn). Luther then recommended him to the Margrave Albrecht, and about May 1524 the Margrave appointed him as court preacher at Königsberg. Here he had also charge of the Altstadt church till Graumann came into residence, in Oct. 1525. He seems to have had the principal share in drawing up the Liturgy and Canons (Kirchenordnung or "Book of Church Order") for the Prussian church, which was presented to the Diet in December 1525, and printed in 1526. On March 31, 1526, he was chosen as the clerical commissioner to visit the parishes of Prussia and see that the new arrangements were carried out; and in the end of 1529 he was appointed Lutheran bishop of Pomesania, with his residence at Marienwerder. Here he remained until his death on Aug. 12, 1551.
Speratus was the author of various works, hut was best known as the Reformer of Prussia. Feeling that for the working of ordinary parishes it was necessary to have pastors who had been brought up in Prussia, and could preach, if need be, in Polish or Lettish, he gladly welcomed the foundation at Königsberg (1544) of the first Prussian university. Among other important events affecting his administration may be mentioned the Visitations of 1528, of 1538, and especially that which lasted from Dec. 15, 1542, to the middle of February 1543; the Synods of 1529 (the Synodical Constitutions were pub. in 1530), of 1530, and of 1531; the new Kirchenordnung of 1544; and the welcome he extended, in 1548, to the exiled Bohemian Brethren who settled iu Prussia.
As a hymn writer Speratus is principally known by the three hymns published in the Etlich cristlich lider, 1524. He also published (no place or date but Königsberg, 1527), in 1527, a version of Ps. xxvii., beginning, " Erzurn dich nicht, sei nicht neidisch;" and a Hymn of Thanksgiving, to be used after the sermon, beginning, "Gelobet sei Gott, unser Gott." These five are all that can be confidently ascribed to him. Of the five hymns mentioned above two have passed into English, viz.:—
i. Es ist das Heil uns kommen her. Law and Gospel. This, his most famous hymn, is founded on Rom. iii. 28. It was probably written in the autumn of 1523, either during his imprisonment at Olmütz, or else during his stay at Wittenberg. Included as one of the 8 hymns in the Etlich cristlich lider1524, dated 1523, and entitled, “A hymn of Law and Faith, powerfully furnished with God's Word. Doctor Paul Speratus."
Lauxmann, in Koch, viii. 236, calls it "the true confessional hymn of the Reformation, or, as Albert Knapp puts it, 'the poetical counterpart of Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans.'" He relates many instances of the effects it produced. It is a Scriptural ballad, setting forth, in what was, for the time, excellent verse, the characteristic teachings of the German Reformers; and is indeed of considerable historical importance. But for present day use it is too long, somewhat harsh in style, and too much a compend of doctrinal theology.
The only version we have found in English common use is:—
To us salvation now is come. In full by Dr. H. Mills, in his Horae Germanicae, 1845, p. 44. Other translations are:—
(1) "Now is our health come from above." By Bishop Coverdale, 1539 (Remains. (2) "Our whole Salvation doth depend." By J. C. Jacobi, 1725, p. 23. (3) "Now comes salvation from above." By Dr. G. Walker, 1860, p. 79. (4) "Salva¬tion hath come down to us." By Miss Winkworth, 1869, p. 123.
ii. In Gott gelaub ich, dass er hat aus nich.The Apostles' Creed. This is a free version, in 9 stanzas of 19 lines. First published in the Etlich cristlich lider, 1524. It was included in V. Babst's Gesang-Buch, 1545, and many others, but on account of its length and its unusual metre it has not found a place in recent hymnals. It is translated as "In God I trust, for so I must." By Bishop Coverdale, 1539. (Remain, 1846, p. 547.) [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]
--Excerpts from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
Paulus Speratus
Henry Mills
1786 - 1867 Person Name: Dr. Henry Mills Author of "To us salvation now has come" in Evangelical Lutheran hymnal Mills, Henry, D.D., son of John Mills, was born at Morriston, New Jersey, March 12, 1786, and educated at the New Jersey College, Princeton, where he graduated in 1802. After being engaged in teaching for some time at Morristown and elsewhere, he was ordained Pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Woodbridge, New Jersey, in 1816. On the opening of the Auburn Theological Seminary in 1821, he was appointed Professor of Biblical Criticism and Oriental Languages, from which he retired in 1854. He died at Auburn, June 10, 1867. In 1845 he published Horae Germanicae; A Version of German Hymns. This was enlarged in 1856. The translations are not well done, and very few are now in common use, although 18 and 9 doxologies were given in the Lutheran General Synod's Collection, 1850. Many are noted in the articles on German hymnwriters and hymns throughout this Dictionary. [Rev. F. M. Bird, M.A.]
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
Henry Mills
