Peter Gerhardt
1607–1676 · Germany · Reformation
Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676) was a German Lutheran pastor and one of the most prolific and beloved hymn writers of the Protestant tradition, composing over 120 hymns that remain central to Lutheran worship. Serving as pastor in Berlin and Lübben during the turbulent Thirty Years' War, Gerhardt drew on deep personal faith and suffering to create hymns of remarkable emotional depth and theological substance. His works, including beloved hymns such as "O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden" (O Sacred Head Now Wounded) and "Befiehl du deine Wege," combine poetic beauty with doctrinal clarity and have influenced Protestant hymnody across centuries. His hymns were characterized by their accessibility to common believers while maintaining sophisticated theological content, and they became foundational texts for Lutheran devotional life. Gerhardt's legacy as a hymn writer secured his position as one of the most significant figures in Christian hymnody and church music history.
Hymn Texts (30)
- I Come, O Savior, to Thy Table
- Let Us All with Gladsome Voice
- Let the Vineyards Be Fruitful
- Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds
- Now All the Woods are Sleeping
- All My Heart Again Rejoices
- Come My Soul with All Thy Care
- Come, Your Hearts and Voices Raising
- Commit Whatever Grieves Thee
- Entrust Your Days and Burdens
- Holy Ghost Dispel Our Sadness
- I Come, O Savior, to Your Table
- I Stand Beside Thy Manger Here
- If God My Lord Be for Me
- Jesus Your Boundless Love so True
- Jesus Your Boundless Love to Me
- Jesus, Your Boundless Love to Me
- O Lord How Shall I Meet Thee
- O Lord How Shall I Meet You
- Once He Came in Blessing
- One There Is Above All Others
- Thy Way and All Thy Sorrows
- We Have a Sure Prophetic Word
- Your Days and Ways to God Surrender
- My Spirit on Thy Care
- O Sacred Head Now Wounded
- O Sacred Head Now Wounded
- O Sacred Head, Now Wounded
- Lord, to You I Make Confession
- Dearest Jesus Draw Thou Near Me