Let Our Gladness Have No End
Let our gladness have no end
The hymn expresses Lutheran joy in salvation through Christ's incarnation and emphasizes the eschatological hope of believers united with Christ. It reflects the Reformation emphasis on grace received through faith in Christ's redemptive work.
History & Background
This text originated in sixteenth-century Bohemia as a vernacular carol in Czech. Charles Wharton Calkins provided the English translation in 1909, making it accessible to Lutheran congregations in North America.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 291
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 57
- Lutheran Service Book — 381
- Lutheran Worship — 69
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 86
Translation
Bulletin Note
Dating to 1500, this hymn emerged at the threshold of the Reformation, echoing medieval devotional piety while capturing the evangelical joy in unmerited grace that would define Lutheran hymnody.
Preaching Connection
This hymn crystallizes the pure Gospel message: salvation is grace alone, received through faith in Christ's incarnation, inviting the sermon to deepen the congregation's understanding of why believers can sing with confidence despite life's trials.
Themes
Joy in Christ Incarnation Salvation Nativity Divine mercy