Sing Praise to the Lord
Sing praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation
This hymn exemplifies the Reformed-Lutheran synthesis in hymnody, celebrating God's transcendent majesty and sovereign care over creation as foundational to Christian worship. It reflects the theological conviction that all creation exists to glorify God and that human praise participates in the cosmic worship described in Scripture.
History & Background
Originally published in German as 'Lobe den Herren' in Neander's 1680 hymnal "Alpha und Omega." Catherine Winkworth's English translation appeared in her 1863 collection "Chorale Book for England," becoming the standard English version in Lutheran hymnals.
Scripture References Another post-exilic hymn, Psalm 149 summons God’s people to st. 1 = w. 1-2 praise their Maker and King (st. 1) with dancing and music for st. 2 = w. 3-4 delivering them (st. 2) from all who oppose and oppress them (st. 3). God arms them to execute his sentence ofjudgment on all st. 3 = w. 5-9 world powers that have set themselves against the LORD’s kingdom st. 4 = w. 6-9 (st. 3-4). As a hymn on Israel’s lips amid the travails of their history, 285 THE PSALMS, BIBLE SONGS, AND HYMNS this psalm was a confession of faith concerning things promised by the prophets and even foreshadowed in the people’s past experience, but not yet seen. The (altered) versification is from the 1912 Psalter.
Originally “O Praise Ye the Lord,” this text is considered to be Scripture References one of finest written by Henry W. Baker . It was st.l=Ps. 148:1-6 published in the 1875 edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern st. 2 = Ps. 148:11-14 (Baker was editor of both the 1861 and 1875 editions). st.3 = Ps. 150:3-6 The entire text is an amplification in hymn form of the “alleluia” phrases that frame Psalm 148 and 150. While stanzas 1-3 are based on various verses in those psalms, stanza 4 is a summary: “For love in creation, for heaven restored, for grace of salvation, sing praise to the Lord! ”
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 843
- Glory to God — 645
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 543
- Lutheran Service Book — 805
- Lift Up Your Hearts — 97
- Lutheran Worship — 462
- Psalter Hymnal — 149
- Trinity Hymnal — 53
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 40
- Voices Together — 79
- With One Voice — 761
Translation
Liturgical Use
Especially suitable as a psalm of praise at the close of worship; many other uses in Christian worship.
Liturgical Use
Any occasion of praise when Psalm 148 or 150 could also be used; a glorious (although long) doxology for harvest thanksgiving; a choral festival or similar praise service.
Bulletin Note
Joachim Neander (1650–1680) composed this hymn as a masterwork of German Reformed-Lutheran hymnody. Its cosmic vision of all creation praising God reflects deep theological convictions about providence and the grounds of Christian joy.
Preaching Connection
This hymn deepens any sermon on God's providential sovereignty and creative power by moving the hearer from doctrinal proclamation into the affective, participatory response of praise—embodying the Law's call to gratitude and the Gospel's assurance of divine care.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Law (divine majesty and power) → Gospel (providence, mercy, sustenance) → Gospel (daily goodness) → Gospel (communal adoration and response)
Themes
Praise and adoration God's sovereignty and majesty Creation and providence Joy in worship