Blessed Is The Man, Forever Blest
Blessed is the man, forever blest
The hymn emphasizes Luther's doctrine of justification by faith through the imagery of forgiveness and the hiding of sins before God. It articulates the Lutheran understanding that blessedness comes through God's gracious forgiveness rather than human works.
History & Background
Selnecker composed this hymn as a metrical paraphrase of Psalm 32 in German (original title: Wohl dem, dem Gott vergibt). It was first published in Selnecker's hymnal collection and became a standard Lutheran psalm paraphrase.
Hymnal Appearances
- Lutheran Worship — 370
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 392
Translation
Bulletin Note
Composed by Nicolaus Selnecker in 1572, this hymn expresses the Reformation's central conviction: blessedness flows from God's gracious forgiveness of sins, not from human merit or works—a cornerstone of Lutheran theology.
Preaching Connection
This hymn embodies the Law-Gospel movement: it names human sinfulness and need, then proclaims the Gospel's answer—God's merciful hiding of our transgressions—making it a perfect lyrical companion to proclamation of justification by faith.
Catechism & Confessional Connections
- Confession of Sin Small Catechism — Confession
- Of Justification Augsburg Confession
Themes
forgiveness and grace confession of sins divine mercy justification by faith peace with God