Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness
Praise the One who breaks the darkness
Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness is a hymn text by Bert Polman (1985) in 8.7.8.7 D meter. Found in CW21 517, CW93 353, elw 726, gtg 849.
The hymn articulates the Lutheran emphasis on Christ as the One who fulfills God's redemptive promise to heal the broken and bring good news to the poor, connecting directly to the Incarnation and the Gospel's transformative power. It reflects the Lutheran understanding that the Gospel breaks through human darkness and despair with God's liberating grace.
History & Background
Written by Bert Polman in 1985, this hymn was first published in the Christian Reformed Church hymnals and subsequently adopted by Lutheran and other Protestant denominations. It reflects contemporary hymn writing that emphasizes Christ's mission to liberate and bring light to the oppressed.
Hymnal Appearances
- Christian Worship: Hymnal — 517
- Christian Worship — 353
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 726
- Glory to God — 849
- Hymnal Supplement 98 — 881
- Lutheran Service Book — 849
- Lift Up Your Hearts — 553
- Voices Together — 101
Bulletin Note
Composed by Bert Polman in 1985, this hymn echoes Isaiah's promise of good news to the poor and sight to the blind, connecting Epiphany's revelation of Christ to the Reformation's recovery of Gospel clarity.
Preaching Connection
This hymn transforms the Law's diagnosis of human darkness and captivity into the Gospel's proclamation of Christ as the One who actively breaks through with redemptive light and liberation.
Background Research
LSB 849 (Hymn of the Day for Quinquagesima and Trinity 14, one-year; Proper 19, Year B). Rusty Edwards (b. 1955), Lutheran pastor; © 1987 Hope Publishing. Edwards said he began in 1986 to prepare a Bible study on what Jesus actually did; the list of Jesus' works he wrote down 'looked almost like a hymn', so he set the study aside and wrote this instead (CrossAccent 15/2, 2007, quoted in the LSB study). The title is his favourite image of Christ, the one who breaks the darkness (John 1:4–9). Jesus is not named until stanza 3; the hymn moves from his works to table and font and ends with the incarnate Word (John 3:16–17). Usually sung to NETTLETON.
Sources: hymnary.org; LCMS Worship, The Word in Song: Hymn of the Day Studies (Paul Robert Sauer).
In the Church Year
Hymn of the Day (Lutheran Service Book) for: Proper 19; Quinquagesima; Trinity 14
Suggested in the one-year series
- Quinquagesima (3×)
- Trinity 14 (3×)
- Trinity 24 (1×)
Suggested in the three-year series
- Proper 19 (3×)
- Epiphany 5 (3×)
- Proper 12 (3×)
- Epiphany 3 (2×)
- Proper 4 (2×)
- Epiphany 4 (1×)
- Lent 3 (1×)
- Lent 4 (1×)
- Proper 14 (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.
Themes
God's liberating grace Light overcoming darkness Justice and compassion Gospel proclamation