The Lord, My God, Be Praised
The Lord, my God, be praised with heart and voice
This hymn exemplifies the Reformed emphasis on the praise and glorification of God's transcendent majesty and sovereign power, central to Lutheran theology. It reflects the Reformation principle that all worship should be directed to God's glory alone, consistent with the first commandment.
History & Background
Originally composed in German by Justus Jonas in 1524 as a paraphrase of Deuteronomy 32:3, reflecting early Lutheran hymn-writing during the Reformation. The English translation by The Lutheran Hymnal committee in 1941 became the standard Lutheran version in America.
Hymnal Appearances
- Lutheran Service Book — 794
- Lutheran Worship — 174
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 38
Translation
The Lutheran Hymnal (TLH) committee
Bulletin Note
Composed by Justus Jonas in 1524, a close collaborator of Martin Luther. This hymn embodies the Reformation's insistence that all worship glorify God's transcendent majesty alone, reflecting the recovered centrality of the first commandment.
Preaching Connection
This hymn crystallizes the Reformation's core conviction that praise flows freely from hearts grasped by God's sovereign grace, not from legal compulsion—making it a natural trumpet call after the proclamation of justification by faith alone.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Christ's compassionate presence amid human suffering and social chaos, calling the Church to incarnational witness and mercy
Themes
Praise of God God's majesty and power Glorification of the Lord Doxology Divine sovereignty