By All Your Saints Still Striving
By all your saints still striving
The hymn emphasizes the communion of saints and the encouragement believers receive from the faithful witness of those who preceded them in faith. It reflects Lutheran teaching on the communion of all believers in Christ across time and space.
History & Background
Written by English clergyman Horatio Bolton Nelson in 1864, this hymn celebrates the witness of all faithful believers throughout the ages. It was included in Hymns Ancient and Modern and has become a standard commemoration hymn in Lutheran hymnals.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 420
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 178
- Lutheran Service Book — 517-518
- Lutheran Worship — 194
Bulletin Note
Horatio Bolton Nelson's 1864 hymn celebrates the communion of saints across time. Its Danish tune, Års Højtid, carries the weight of Lutheran testimony to grace that upholds believers through suffering into eternal joy.
Preaching Connection
This hymn proclaims the Gospel triumph of Christ through the lives of His saints across time, offering congregational assurance that faithful witness to Word and sacrament—not our own strength—sustains both the Church militant and triumphant.
Catechism & Confessional Connections
- The Third Article (Concerning Sanctification) Small Catechism — The Apostles' Creed
Themes
Communion of saints Witness of faith Perseverance in faith Christian triumph