"We Gather Together" is a Christian
hymn
A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...
of
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
origin written in 1597 by
Adrianus Valerius
Adrianus (Adriaen) Valerius, also known as Adriaen Valerius, (c. 1575 – 1625) was a Dutch poet and composer, known mostly for his poems dealing with peasant and burgher life and those dealing with the Dutch War of Independence, assembled ...
as "Wilt heden nu treden" to celebrate the
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
victory over Spanish forces in the
Battle of Turnhout. It was originally set to a Dutch folk tune. In the United States, it is popularly associated with
Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden a ...
and is often sung at family meals and at religious services on that day.
History
At the time the hymn was written, the Dutch were engaged in a war of national liberation against the Catholic King
Philip II of Spain
Philip II) in Spain, while in Portugal and his Italian kingdoms he ruled as Philip I ( pt, Filipe I). (21 May 152713 September 1598), also known as Philip the Prudent ( es, Felipe el Prudente), was King of Spain from 1556, King of Portugal from ...
. "Wilt heden nu treden," "We gather together" resonated because under the Spanish King, Dutch Protestants were forbidden to gather for worship. The hymn first appeared in print in a 1626 collection of Dutch folk and patriotic songs, ''Neder-landtsche Gedenck-Clanck'' by
Adriaen Valerius
Adrianus (Adriaen) Valerius, also known as Adriaen Valerius, (c. 1575 – 1625) was a Dutch poet and composer, known mostly for his poems dealing with peasant and burgher life and those dealing with the Dutch War of Independence, assembled ...
.
In anglophone hymnology, the tune is known as "Kremser", from Eduard Kremser's 1877 score arrangement and lyric translation of Wilt Heden Nu Treden into Latin and German. The modern English text was written by
Theodore Baker
Theodore Baker (June 3, 1851"Passed Away," ''Musical America'' (Nov. 10, 1934), p. 32."Dr. Theodore Baker," ''Musical Courier'' (Nov. 3, 1934), p. 20. – October 12, 1934)[Hymn Society in the United States and Canada
The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada – founded in 1922 as The Hymn Society of America and renamed in 1991 – is a not-for-profit organization for those people who:
* believe that congregational song is an integral component of worsh ...]
, "We Gather Together's" first appearance in an American hymnal was in 1903. It had retained popularity among the Dutch, and when the Dutch Reformed Church in North America decided in 1937 to abandon the policy that they had brought with them to the New World in the 17th century of singing only psalms and add hymns to the church service, "We Gather Together" was chosen as the first hymn in the first hymnal.
A different translation under the first line ''We Praise Thee, O God, Our Redeemer, Creator'' was translated by J.B.C. Cory (1882-1963).
The hymn steadily gained popularity, especially in services of Thanksgiving on such occasions as town and college centennial celebrations. According to
Carl Daw, executive director of the Hymn Society, the "big break" came in 1935 when it was included in the national hymnal of the Methodist-Episcopal Church.
According to Michael Hawn, professor of sacred music at Southern Methodist University's Perkins School of Theology, "by World War I, we started to see ourselves in this hymn," and the popularity increased during World War II, when "the wicked oppressing" were understood to include Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan.
This hymn is often sung at American churches the Sunday before Thanksgiving.
This hymn was sung at the Opening of the Funeral Mass for
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A pop ...
. The West Wing episode "Shibboleth" (season 2, episode 8 "Shibboleth") alluded to the hymn, and it was played in the episode's final scene (performed by the Cedarmont Kids.)
The hymn is also usually sung by the Quartermaine family on the American soap opera
General Hospital
''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the list of longest-running television shows by category, longest-running American soap opera in pro ...
's annual Thanksgiving episode.
Lyrics
Note that the English lyrics do not translate the Dutch. The Dutch third stanza is in the republishing 1871 only in the footnote on page 41, not in the sheet, because it was not good enough. Therefore, it is not in all lyrics.
Valerius, 1626
''Dutch original''
Wilt heden Nu treden Voor God den Heere;
Hem boven Al loven,, Van herten seer,,
End’ maken groot syns lieven naemens eere,
Die daer nu onsen vyand slaet ter neer.
Ter eeren,, ons Heeren,, Wilt al u dagen,
Dit wonder,, bysonder,, gedencken toch.
Maeckt u o mensch! voor God steets wel te dragen,
Doet yder recht, en wacht u voor bedrog.
D’arg-losen,, den boosen,, om yet te vinden,
Loopt driesschen, En briesschen gelyck een Leeu,
Soeckende wie hy wreedelyck verslinden,
Of geven mocht een doodelycke preeu.
Bid, waket,, End’ maket, Dat g’in bekoring,
End’ ’tquade,, Met schade,, Toch niet en valt.
U vroomheyt brengt de vyand tot verstoring,
Alwaer syn ryck noch eens soo sterck bewalt.
Theodore Baker, 1894
Verse 1:
We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing;
He chastens and hastens His will to make known.
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.
Sing praises to His Name; He forgets not His own.
Verse: 2
Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
Ordaining, maintaining His kingdom divine;
So from the beginning the fight we were winning;
Thou, Lord, were at our side, all glory be Thine!
Verse 3:
We all do extol Thee, Thou Leader triumphant,
And pray that Thou still our Defender will be.
Let Thy congregation escape tribulation;
Thy Name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!
Paul Sjolund, 1984
additional verse added in "Festival Hymn of Thanksgiving" arrg.
Verse 4:
With voices United, our praises we offer,
To thee in thanksgiving, glad anthems we raise.
Thy strong arm will guide us,
For thou art beside us,
to Father, Son, and Spirit, forever be praised!
—
Julia Bulkley Cady (1882–1963), 1902
We praise thee, O God, our Redeemer, Creator,
In grateful devotion our tribute we bring.
We lay it before thee, we kneel and adore thee,
We bless thy holy name, glad praises we sing.
We worship thee, God of our fathers, we bless thee;
'' .. complete 3 stanza'
Herman Brueckner (1866–1942), 1918?
''Translation of Joseph Weyl, 1877''
Catholic Version:
We gather together to sing the Lord’s praises
To worship the Father through Jesus, His Son.
In this celebration
All sing with jubilation.
We are His holy people whose freedom He won.
We greet our Lord present within this assembly
To hear His good news announced clearly to all.
Our priest is presiding
In Christ we are abiding
As we invoke God’s blessing and answer His call
Jehovah's Witnesses Version
We gather to worship Jehovah, the righteous,
Who verily sitteth in Judgment severe;
The good by the evil shall not overpowered,
The Lord will prevent it, our prayer He will hear.
Amid the great conflict He ever stood by us,
'' .. complete 3 stanza(There are also mixed versions with Baker)''
As Sung in the Congregational Church in Connecticut in the 1950's:
Verse 3
We all do extol thee our leader in Battle
And pray that thou still our defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation escape tribulation.
Thy name be ever praised, and thy people be free.
Literature
*
References
* Franz Magnus Böhme: ''Volksthümliche Lieder der Deutschen'', Breitkopf & Härtel, Leipzig 1895, p. 565.
* Julius Röntgen (Musik), Karl Budde (Text): ''XIV Altniederländische Volkslieder nach Adrianus Valerius (1626). Für eine Singstimme mit Klavierbegleitung'', Breitkopf & Härtel, Leipzig - Brüssel - London - New York 1901, No. 14 / p. 32 "Siegesfeier".
* Paul Goldscheider: ''Gloria Viktoria. Ausgewählte Gedichte des Weltkrieges, für den Unterricht erläutert'', C. H. Becksche Verlagsbuchhandlung (Oskar Beck), München 1916.
* ''"Anschluss" 1938. Eine Dokumentation''. Hrsg. Dokumentationsarchiv des österreichischen Widerstandes, Wien 1988, pp. 495–526.
* Reinhard Breymayer: "Im Streite zur Seite": Der jüdische Autor Josef Weyl (1821–1895) und die Übersetzung des "Niederländischen Dankgebets" ("Wir treten zum Beten ..."). In: ''Im Streite zur Seite. Rundbriefe des Tübinger Bibelkreises / Rundbriefe der A
ademischen V
rbindung Föhrberg (TBK
übinger Bibelkreis''.
-72070Tübingen, Frondsbergstr. 17, Herbst 2001, pp. 1937–1939.
External links
''We Gather Together'' at the Cyber Hymnal
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Dutch Christian hymns
Protestant hymns
Thanksgiving songs
1597 works
16th-century hymns