Let Us All with Gladsome Voice
Let us all with gladsome voice
The hymn embodies Lutheran Christmas theology by connecting the birth of Christ to the universal proclamation of salvation and reconciliation with God. It reflects the Reformed Catholic emphasis on the incarnation as God's gracious act of love for all humanity, central to Lutheran understanding of the Gospel.
History & Background
Paul Gerhardt's original German text 'Freuet euch, ihr Christen alle' was published in 1648 as part of his significant contribution to Lutheran hymnody during the Thirty Years' War. The English translation by John C. Macduff preserves the joyful proclamation of Christ's birth and its redemptive significance.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 280
- Lutheran Service Book — 390
- Lutheran Worship — 42
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 97
Translation
Bulletin Note
Paul Gerhardt (1607–1676), a Lutheran pastor who survived the Thirty Years' War, wrote this 1648 hymn from deep suffering. It reflects the Reformed Catholic theology of incarnational grace central to Lutheran faith: God's love made visible in human flesh.
Preaching Connection
This hymn transforms Christmas from sentimental nostalgia into Gospel proclamation, showing how the Law's demand for perfection gives way to the grace of God's self-giving in the stable—inviting the sermon to unfold what true 'gladness' means in light of Christ's redemptive birth.
Themes
Joy in salvation Nativity of Christ Praise and thanksgiving Gospel proclamation Universal redemption