Now Sing We, Now Rejoice
Now sing we, now rejoice
The hymn celebrates the incarnation as God's greatest act of mercy toward sinful humanity, emphasizing joy as the proper response to gospel truth. It reflects Lutheran emphasis on Christ's redemptive work made accessible to all believers.
History & Background
This carol originated in 15th-century German tradition as a Christmas hymn. Martin Luther translated and adapted it for the Reformation era, establishing its prominent place in Lutheran hymnody.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 282
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 55
- Lutheran Service Book — 386
- Lutheran Worship — 47
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 92
Translation
Bulletin Note
A gem from fifteenth-century hymnody, this carol centers the incarnation as God's definitive act of mercy. Its straightforward theology—sin demands a savior; Christ is born—captures Lutheran confidence in grace made accessible to all believers through the Word made flesh.
Preaching Connection
This hymn makes audible the Gospel's answer to the Law: our sinfulness calls for salvation, and Christ's birth is God's resounding 'yes' to our desperate need for grace.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Law to Gospel: human sinfulness and bondage under Satan → God's mercy in Christ → Christ's substitutionary atonement → faith's response and eschatological hope
Themes
Incarnation of Christ Joy in salvation Gospel proclamation Angelic witness Divine love made manifest