My Soul Now Bless Thy Maker
My soul now bless thy Maker
My Soul Now Bless Thy Maker is a hymn text by Heinrich Held (1695) in L.M. (8.8.8.8) meter. Translated by Catherine Winkworth. Found in CW93 257, ELH 456, elw 782, lbw 519. Sung to INNOCENTS.
This hymn articulates the Lutheran emphasis on God's grace and the forgiveness of sins as central to Christian experience, drawing directly from the Psalter. It reflects the Reformation's recovery of the Psalms as essential to Christian prayer and worship.
History & Background
This hymn is based on Psalm 103 and was composed by Heinrich Held in the late 17th century in Germany. Catherine Winkworth provided this widely-used English translation in 1863, making it accessible to English-speaking Lutheran congregations.
Hymnal Appearances
- Christian Worship — 257
- Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary — 456
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 782
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 519
- Lutheran Service Book — 820
- Lutheran Worship — 453
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 34
Translation
Bulletin Note
Written by German hymnodist Heinrich Held in 1695, this hymn draws from Psalm 103 and reflects Luther's recovery of the Psalter for Christian prayer, making divine mercy the pulse of congregational worship.
Preaching Connection
This hymn embodies the Law-Gospel movement central to Lutheran proclamation: from awareness of God's judgment to the celebration of forgiveness that transforms the condemned soul into a witness of grace.
Catechism & Confessional Connections
- The Third Article (Concerning Sanctification) Small Catechism — The Apostles' Creed
- Of Justification Augsburg Confession
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Retrospective gratitude for God's past faithfulness (St. 1-2) → Prospective petition for future protection and alignment with God's will (St. 3-4)
In the Church Year
Suggested in the one-year series
- Trinity 12 (5×)
- Trinity 14 (1×)
- Trinity 22 (1×)
- Trinity 3 (1×)
Suggested in the three-year series
- Proper 18 (3×)
- Epiphany 7 (2×)
- Proper 21 (1×)
From LCMS Worship's published hymn suggestions, 2014–2026. The count is how many of those yearly lists suggested this hymn for that day.
Overview
One of the earliest Lutheran hymns, a paraphrase of Psalm 103 by Luther's associate Johann Gramann, later a reformer in Königsberg. It calls the soul to bless God for mercy, forgiveness, healing, and justice (st. 1); God does not treat us as we deserve but removes our sins as far as east from west (st. 2); he pities his frail children like a father (st. 3); his grace alone endures and all heaven praises him (st. 4). It is the Gospel in a psalm: 'Nor treats us as we merit.'
Central theme: Praise to God for undeserved mercy, forgiveness, and fatherly pity toward frail sinners
Structure
Benefits (1); forgiveness (2); fatherly pity and human frailty (3); enduring grace and universal praise (4).
Law & Gospel Shape
Law in human frailty and deserved anger; Gospel in 'Nor treats us as we merit, / But lays His anger by.'
Confessional Connections
Justification: God does not deal with us according to our sins (Apology IV). 'God's grace alone endureth' — sola gratia.
Liturgical Use (Study Notes)
Thanksgiving; Reformation; Trinity season; Sundays with Ps 103.
Historical Notes
Gramann (1487-1541) wrote it c. 1525 at the request of Duke Albrecht of Prussia; printed 1540. Bach set it in Cantatas BWV 17, 28, 29, 51, and 167.
About the Tune
NUN LOB, MEIN SEEL, DEN HERREN (Hans Kugelmann, 1540).
Scripture References
Ps 103 Ps 103:10-12 Ps 103:13-16 Isa 40:6-8 Luke 15:20 Mic 7:18-19 Ps 51:17
Stanza by Stanza
My soul, bless your Maker and let everything within bless his name, who gives you more mercies than you dare claim; do not forget him who patiently bears with all your sin, heals your weakness, and renews your life; whose grace and care never end, who saved you in the past, leaves no sufferer friendless, and finally sets right the wronged.
Ps 103:1-6. 'Mercies more than thou dar'st claim' — grace exceeds all claims (Eph 3:20). 'Whose meekness / Still bears with all thy sin' — God's patience (Rom 2:4; 2 Pet 3:9). Forgiveness, healing, renewal (Ps 103:3-5). 'Rights the wronged at last' (Ps 103:6) — God's justice for the oppressed, which may wait for the Last Day. A rich summary of benefits, with forgiveness at the center.
- Scripture
- Ps 103:1-6, Eph 3:20, Rom 2:4, 2 Pet 3:9, Isa 40:31
- Imagery & language
- Partaking of mercies; bearing sin; renewal.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — benefits of grace.
- Connection to previous
- Benefits.
God shows humanity his treasure of judgment, truth, and righteousness, his boundless love and yearning pity for distress; he does not treat us as we deserve but lays aside his anger; the humble, contrite heart finds his compassion near; as high as heaven is above us and as far as day from night, so far, because he loves us, he removes our sins.
Ps 103:7-12. The core: 'Nor treats us as we merit, / But lays His anger by' — Ps 103:10 ('He does not deal with us according to our sins'). This is justification by grace in Old Testament words. 'The humble, contrite spirit' (Ps 51:17; Isa 57:15). 'As high as heaven… So far… He puts our sins away' — Ps 103:11-12 (east from west), and Mic 7:19 ('you will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea'). The reason: 'since He doth love us.'
- Scripture
- Ps 103:7-12, Ps 51:17, Isa 57:15, Mic 7:18-19, Rom 5:8
- Imagery & language
- Treasure; anger laid by; heaven's height; sins put away.
- Law / Gospel
- Law (merited anger) and Gospel (sins removed).
- Connection to previous
- Forgiveness.
As a tender father pities his children, God gathers in his arms all who belong to him in childlike fear; he knows how weak we are, made from dust; we bloom like flowers and fade the same way; the wind passes over and the bloom is gone; we wither like grass and our place knows us no more.
Ps 103:13-16. God as Father (Luke 15:20; Matt 7:11). 'Childlike fear' — reverent trust, not terror (Rom 8:15). 'He knows… we are dust' (Ps 103:14; Gen 2:7; 3:19). Human frailty (Isa 40:6-8; 1 Pet 1:24). The juxtaposition is the point: frailty is met by fatherly compassion.
- Scripture
- Ps 103:13-16, Luke 15:20, Rom 8:15, Gen 3:19, Isa 40:6-8, 1 Pet 1:24
- Imagery & language
- Tender father; dust; flowers; wind; grass.
- Law / Gospel
- Law (frailty) and Gospel (fatherly pity).
- Connection to previous
- Father and frailty.
Only God's grace lasts; generations to come will experience how he strengthens the hearts of all who seek his love; his dwelling is fixed in heaven and he rules everything; mighty angels fall before him; praise him, all who hear his Word, who does not despise our poor songs — my soul, bless the Lord!
Ps 103:17-22. 'God's grace alone endureth' — against human transience (st. 3), only grace lasts (Isa 40:8; 1 Pet 1:25). 'Children's children' (Ps 103:17). God's universal rule (Ps 103:19). Angels praise (Ps 103:20-21). 'All ye who hear His Word' — the church that hears. 'Nor our poor hymns disdaineth' — God accepts humble praise. The hymn ends where the psalm does: 'Bless the LORD, O my soul!'
- Scripture
- Ps 103:17-22, Isa 40:8, 1 Pet 1:25, Ps 51:17
- Imagery & language
- Enduring grace; throne; angelic hosts.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel and doxology.
- Connection to previous
- Enduring grace.
Themes
Praise and worship God's mercy and compassion Forgiveness of sins God's covenant faithfulness Psalmody