The Hymns of Martin Luther: Part 1

by R.A. Miller
Published August 16th, 2022.

Many know Martin Luther as the man that sparked the Protestant Reformation. Fewer people know that he was more than a theologian and preacher; he was a lyricist as well. While his most famous song, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God,” still finds its way into modern hymnals, some of his other songs have been forgotten. In this series, we will examine the lyrics of Luther’s other hymns.

The first song we will look at is “Out of the Depths I Cry to Thee.” Originally published in 1524, this song was translated into English by Catherine Winkworth in 1855. It was notably sung at the funeral of Frederick the Wise, who used his power to protect Luther from persecution. The sheet music for this song can be seen here.

The lyrics are loosely based on Psalm 130. Here is a side-by-side comparison:

Out of the Depths I Cry to Thee

Out of the depths I cry to Thee;
Lord, hear me, I implore Thee!
Bend down Thy gracious ear to me,
My prayer let come before Thee!
If Thou remember each misdeed,
If each should have its rightful meed,
Who may abide Thy presence?

2 Our pardon is Thy gift; Thy love
And grace alone avail us.
Our works could ne'er our guilt remove,
The strictest life would fail us.
That none may boast himself of aught,
But own in fear Thy grace hath wrought
What in him seemeth righteous.

3 And thus, my hope is in the Lord,
And not in mine own merit;
I rest upon His faithful word
To them of contrite spirit.
That He is merciful and just,--
This is my comfort and my trust,
His help I wait with patience.

4 And though it tarry till the night
And round till morning waken,
My heart shall ne'er mistrust Thy might,
Nor count itself forsaken.
Do thus, O ye of Israel's seed,
Ye of the Spirit born indeed,
Wait for your God's appearing.

5 Though great our sins and sore our woes,
His grace much more aboundeth;
His helping love no limit knows,
Our utmost need it soundeth;
Our kind and faithful Shepherd He,
Who shall at last set Israel free
From all their sin and sorrow.

Amen.

Psalm 130: King James Version

1 Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.
2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.


3 If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?








4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.




5 I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.





6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.








7 Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.


8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.