“DEAR CHRISTIANS, LET US NOW REJOICE” (1523)

If the ballad describing the martyrs’ deaths of Johann Esch and Heinrich Voes was Luther’s first hymn, this ballad of the believer’s justification was most likely his second. With the former it shares a vivid, personal, dramatic style. But while in the martyrs’ hymn two individuals served to illustrate the joy and confidence of faith, here the same theme is depicted in the struggles and victories of every believer. And while the first hymn described a historical event, the second takes its material from Luther’s innermost experiences.

Stanza 1 Dear Christians, let us now rejoice, and dance in joyous measure:  Of what to us our God hath shown, and the sweet wonder he hath done Full dearly hath he wrought us.

Stanza 2: That of good cheer and with one voice We sing in love and pleasure.  Of what to us our God hath shown, and the sweet wonder he hath done Full dearly hath he wrought us.

“ALL PRAISE TO THEE, O JESUS CHRIST” (1523)

The first stanza of this hymn was known long before the Reformation and was frequently sung on Christmas Day as the people’s response to the sequence “Grates nunc omnes.”

Stanza 7 “All this for us did Jesus do, That his great love he might show. Let Christendom rejoice therefore, And give him thanks for evermore. Kyrie.  (Luther’s Works, v. 53, p.216, 239-240)

This evening he [Martin Luther] was very joyful. His conversation, his singing, and his thoughts were about the incarnation of Christ, our Savior. Amid his sighs he said, “Ah, what wretched people we are! To think that we are so cold and slothful in our attitude toward this great joy which, after all, happened for us, this great benefaction which is far, far superior to all other works of creation! And yet how hard it is for us to believe, though the good news was preached and sung for us by angels, who are heavenly theologians and have rejoiced in our behalf! Their song is the most glorious. It contains the whole Christian faith. For the gloria in excelsis is supreme worship. They wish us such worship and they bring it to us in Christ

“Ever since the fall of Adam the world knows neither God nor his creation. It lives altogether outside of the glory of God. Oh, what thoughts man might have had about the fact that God is in all creatures, and so might have reflected on the power and the wisdom of God in even the smallest flowers! Of a truth, who can imagine how God creates, out of the parched soil, such a variety of flowers, such pretty colors, such sweet vernal grass, beyond anything that a painter or apothecary could make! Yet God can bring out of the ground such colors as green, yellow, red, blue, brown. Adam and those around him would have been elevated by all this to the praise of God, and they would have made use of all created things with thanksgiving. Now we enjoy all this to overflowing, yet without understanding, like cattle or other beasts trampling the most beautiful blossoms and lilies underfoot.

 “For this reason the angels here [in the Christmas story] recall fallen men to faith and love, that is, to glory toward God and peace on earth.” (Luther’s Works, v. 54, p.326)

On the day of the Nativity [of our Lord] Dr. Martin Luther said many things about this remarkable festival which offers godly people the greatest pleasure and consolation, for the dear angels themselves preach and accompany their preaching with their singing.

“Those are true witnesses to the Messiah who declare, ‘Rejoice, be glad! Here you have the real Prince and a child of heaven and earth!’ They sing the best song: Glory be to God (that is, religion and faith), peace on earth (namely, in civil life), good will (that we feel right and are well pleased). It isn’t known, however, whether the angels were prophesying or expressing a wish, whether these words are to be understood indicatively(as a fact) or optatively(as a wish for us)…. (Luther’s Works, v. 54, p.248)

On the festival of the Annunciation of Mary in 1533 he [Martin Luther] said, “When preaching on this day one should stick to the story, so that we may celebrate the incarnation of Christ, rejoice that we were made his brethren, and be glad that he who fills heaven and earth is in the womb of the maiden. Disputations stand in the way of joy because they bring forth doubts, and these produce sorrow, just as if the girl had not rejoiced until she knew that she was promised in marriage and her doubt vanished. Therefore, I hate Erasmus from the bottom of my heart because he calls into question what ought to be our joy. Bernard filled a whole sermon with praise of the Virgin Mary and in so doing forgot to mention what happened; so highly did he and Anselm esteem Mary. But a Christian puts the questions aside and occupies himself with the effects [of the incarnation]. The incarnation, therefore, should be held high. Mary can’t be sufficiently praised as a creature, but that the Creator himself comes to us and becomes our ransom—this is the reason for our rejoicing. I don’t think the story can be told more simply than it was by Luke. Nobody could have invented the word ‘sent.’ ” (Luther’s Works, v. 54, p.84)