1. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation! O my soul, Praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation! All ye who hear, Now to His temple draw near; Praise Him in glad adoration. 2. Praise to the Lord, who o'er all things so wondrously reigneth, Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth! Hast thou not seen How thy desires e'er have been Granted in what He ordaineth? 3. Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee; Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee. Ponder anew What the Almighty can do,If with His love He befriend thee. 4. Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him! All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him. Let the AmenSound from His people again, Gladly for aye we adore Him. 5. Praise to the Lord, who with marvelous wisdom hath made thee, Decked thee with health, and with loving hand guided and stayed thee! How oft in grief Hath not He brought thee relief, Spreading His wings for to shade thee!
Lyrics: Joachim Neander
Music: "Erneuertes Gesangbuch", Straslund, 1665
Tune: LOBE DEN HERREN
Meter: 14.14.4.7.8.
Joachim Neander, 1650–1680
Translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1829–1878
The author of this hymn text, Joachim Neander, has often been called the greatest of all German-Calvinist Reformed hymn writers. He wrote approximately sixty hymns and composed many tunes.
This hymn is a free paraphrase of Psalm 103:1–6, which begins, “Bless [praise] the Lord, O my soul: And all that is within me, bless His holy name.” The translator of this text, Catherine Winkworth, helped to make German hymns popular in England and America during the 19th century. The tune, “Lobe Den Herren” (“Praise to the Lord”), first appeared in a German hymnal in 1665. It is said that Neander personally chose this tune for his text, and the words have never been used with any other melody.