“Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above”
1 Sing praise to God who reigns above,
the God of all creation,
the God of power, the God of love,
the God of our salvation.
With healing balm my soul is filled
and every faithless murmur stilled:
To God all praise and glory.
2 The Lord is never far away,
but through all grief distressing,
an ever present help and stay,
our peace and joy and blessing.
As with a mother’s tender hand,
God gently leads the chosen band:
To God all praise and glory.
3 Thus all my toilsome way along,
I sing aloud thy praises,
that earth may hear the grateful song
my voice unwearied raises.
Be joyful in the Lord, my heart,
both soul and body bear your part:
To God all praise and glory.
4 Let all who name Christ’s holy name
give God all praise and glory;
let all who own His power proclaim
aloud the wondrous story!
Cast each false idol from its throne,
for Christ is Lord, and Christ alone:
To God all praise and glory.
Story Behind “Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above”
“Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above” was written in 1675 by Johann Jakob Schütz, a German lawyer, during a 17th-century spiritual revival aimed at combating “cold orthodoxy” in the Lutheran Church. Based on Deuteronomy 32:3, the hymn emphasizes a personal, present God and was originally published in Schütz’s Christliches Gedenckbüchlein.
Background: Schütz penned this hymn to celebrate God’s mercy and power during a time of renewed personal devotion.
Original Purpose: It was written as a hymn of thanksgiving in nine stanzas, with each verse focusing on praising God’s love and sovereignty.
The Tune: The hymn is frequently paired with the tune “Mit Freuden Zart” (“With Great Delight”), a 16th-century Bohemian melody.
Translation: The English translation was provided by Frances Elizabeth Cox in her 1841 collection, Sacred Hymns from the German.
Themes: The lyrics focus on God as a loving father, a healer, and an ever-present help in time of need.
The hymn has a strong, celebratory tone designed to encourage believers in their daily lives. It is a profound expression of love, taking pleasure in enumerating God’s works and simply acknowledging that He is God.
-Debra
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