Our Lord and God Oh Bless This Day
Our Lord and God, oh bless this day
This hymn expresses the Reformation conviction that God's covenant with His people is immutable and His blessings are renewed daily, reflecting Grundtvig's emphasis on the living voice of the Gospel in congregational worship. The prayer for blessing connects to Lutheran understanding of God's gracious sustenance of creation and the Church.
History & Background
Written by N.F.S. Grundtvig in 1817, this Danish hymn reflects his theology of God's perpetual covenant and blessing over creation and the Church. The text was translated into English by Peer Böhlmann in 1989 for the ELW and appears in multiple Lutheran hymnals.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 785
- Lutheran Service Book — 922
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 337
Translation
Bulletin Note
Grundtvig (1783–1872), Danish pastor and hymn-writer, penned this invocation of God's covenant mercies. His vision of the "living voice" of the Gospel in congregational song shaped Lutheran hymnody for generations.
Preaching Connection
This hymn develops the Gospel's promise of God's immutable covenant and daily renewal of grace, which strengthens faith's response when the Law exposes our need for that very blessing.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Proclamation of Christ's Church as eternally founded on the Rock (Matthew 16:18), immovable amid historical upheaval, sustained by grace rather than human institutions, demanding faithful living in confidence of salvation
Themes
God's blessing Divine care Constancy of God Daily protection