Lord God Who Art My Father Dear
Lord God who art my Father dear
The hymn exemplifies Lutheran emphasis on direct access to God through prayer and the fatherhood of God as central to Christian faith. It connects the earthly father-child relationship to the divine paternity, grounding Christian life in trust in God's providential care.
History & Background
This German hymn emerges from the Lutheran devotional tradition of the Reformation era, reflecting the emphasis on personal prayer and family worship. It appears in various Lutheran hymnals throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.
Hymnal Appearances
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 453
Bulletin Note
From the German tradition (c. 1500), this hymn captures the Lutheran reformation principle of direct access to God through prayer. Its domestic imagery—the father-child relationship—reflects how reformers grounded theology in lived experience and Gospel comfort.
Preaching Connection
This hymn develops the doctrine of God's fatherhood as the answer to the Law's accusation, shifting the conscience from fear of judgment to childlike trust in merciful provision—a Gospel comfort that strengthens faith amid uncertainty.
Themes
God the Father Prayer Divine protection Trust in providence Family devotion