Jehovah, Let Me Now Adore Thee
Jehovah, let me now adore thee
The hymn emphasizes personal devotion and direct access to God through Christ as mediator, central to Lutheran theology. It reflects the pietistic focus on heartfelt prayer and the believer's confidence in presenting petitions to God through Jesus' name.
History & Background
Originally written in German by Freylinghausen for his hymnal Geistreiches Gesangbuch (1704). Catherine Winkworth translated it into English in her Chorale Book for England (1863), becoming a standard Lutheran hymn in English-speaking churches.
Hymnal Appearances
- Lutheran Worship — 446
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 21
Translation
Bulletin Note
Composed by Johann Anastasius Freylinghausen (1704), a German pietist hymn writer. This hymn captures the devotional warmth of early Lutheran pietism while maintaining the Reformation's emphasis on Christ as sole mediator between God and the believer.
Preaching Connection
This hymn embodies the Lutheran insight that law exposes our unworthiness, but gospel transforms that very unworthiness into bold access through Christ's mediation—making it a perfect sung response to any proclamation of justification by grace through faith.
Catechism & Confessional Connections
- Of Justification Augsburg Confession
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Law to Gospel: from the demand of belief and baptism, through Christ's redemptive work and Spirit-empowered perseverance, to doxological assurance of eternal inheritance
Themes
Adoration Prayer and petition Divine mercy Intercession through Christ