All my hope is grounded surely

Representative Text

All my hope is grounded surely
On the ever-living God,
I can trust His aid securely,
He shall be my highest Good;
For this Rock fears no shock,
And our trust will never mock.

Tell me, if no dread e'er seizes
You, who lean on some frail man?
Can you build on waves and breezes?
Dare you trust your wisest plan?
Soon 'tis past, cannot last,
Nought that earth has standeth fast.

But His goodners still shall flourish
Evermore, nought changes here;
Man and beast His hand doth nourish
Day by day through all the year;
Morn and eve, doth He give
All they need to all that live.

Are we not by gifts surrounded
More than we dare ask of good?
For His mercies are unbounded,
Flowing like a mighty flood;
Earth and air to us bear
Tokens of His loving care.

Let not then His gifts upbraid us,
Who His very Son hath given;
Thank, O thank Him who hath made us
From the dust, yet heirs of heaven.
God is our shield and tower,
Great in wisdom, love, and power.



Source: Chorale Book for England, The #8

Translator: Catherine Winkworth

Catherine Winkworth (b. Holborn, London, England, 1827; d. Monnetier, Savoy, France, 1878) is well known for her English translations of German hymns; her translations were polished and yet remained close to the original. Educated initially by her mother, she lived with relatives in Dresden, Germany, in 1845, where she acquired her knowledge of German and interest in German hymnody. After residing near Manchester until 1862, she moved to Clifton, near Bristol. A pioneer in promoting women's rights, Winkworth put much of her energy into the encouragement of higher education for women. She translated a large number of German hymn texts from hymnals owned by a friend, Baron Bunsen. Though often altered, these translations continue to be used i… Go to person page >

Author: Joachim Neander

Neander, Joachim, was born at Bremen, in 1650, as the eldest child of the marriage of Johann Joachim Neander and Catharina Knipping, which took place on Sept. 18, 1649, the father being then master of the Third Form in the Paedagogium at Bremen. The family name was originally Neumann (Newman) or Niemann, but the grandfather of the poet had assumed the Greek form of the name, i.e. Neander. After passing through the Paedagogium he entered himself as a student at the Gymnasium illustre (Academic Gymnasium) of Bremen in Oct. 1666. German student life in the 17th century was anything but refined, and Neander seems to have been as riotous and as fond of questionable pleasures as most of his fellows. In July 1670, Theodore Under-Eyck came to Breme… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: All my hope is grounded surely
German Title: Meine Haffnung stehet feste
Author: Joachim Neander (1679)
Translator: Catherine Winkworth
Meter: 8.6.8.6.6.7
Language: English

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Chorale Book for England, The #8

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