My Inmost Heart Now Raises (TLH 548)

Georg Nigidius, 1525-1588
1st Published in: Neu Catechismus-Gesangbuechlein, Hamburg, 1598
Translation based on Catherine Winkworth, 1829-1878

1. My inmost heart now raises
In this fair morning hour
A song of thankful praises
To Thine almighty pow'r,
O God, upon Thy throne.
To honor and adore Thee,
I bring my praise before Thee
Thro' Christ, Thine only Son.

2. For Thou from me hast warded
All perils of the night;
From ev'ry harm hast guarded
My soul till morning light.
To Thee I humbly cry,
O Savior, have compassion
And pardon my transgression;
Have mercy, Lord most high!

3. And shield me from all evil,
O gracious God, this day,
From sin, and from the devil,
From shame and from dismay,
From fire's consuming breath,
From water's devastation,
From need and consternation,
From evil sudden death.

4. Let not Thine angel leave me
While here on earth I stay
Lest Satan's arts deceive me
And lead my soul astray.
Then keep Thine angel near
At night and each new morrow
Lest soul and body sorrow
And falt'ring cost me dear.

5. God shall do my advising,
Whose might with wisdom blends;
May He bless rest and rising,
My efforts, means, and ends!
To God, forever blest,
Will I with mine confide me,
And willing let Him guide me
As seemeth to Him best.

6. Amen I say, not fearing
That God rejects my prayer;
I doubt not He is hearing
And granting me His care.
Thus I go on my way
And do not look behind me,
But ply the task assigned me;
God's help shall be my stay.

Here is a beautiful morning hymn based on Martin Luther's morning prayer. As a good catechetical hymn, it not only sings with the voice of faith, but explains the faith taught in the catechism, helps us reflect on God's grace renewed every night and day, and teaches us to love the simple words that we learned from childhood and make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Notice the beautiful concentric structure formed by the balance of stanzas 1-6, 2-5, 3-4: We raise our morning prayer before God's throne in the assurance that He will not reject what we humbly ask through Christ, the only Son. As we recall God's protection during the night, so we confide ourselves to Him who guides us with wisdom and mercy divine during the day. For while Satan plans our destruction, God's holy angel encamps around us, shielding and delivering us from every evil.

Oh, that each child of God would begin the day with such a prayer! How thankful would we be, how joyful would then our praises echo through each and every word or deed from morn till eve! Blessed are those who have a copy of TLH to prevent these words from being erased from the Church's hymnody!

Luther himself professed to remain a lifetime student of his catechism. And indeed, here again, in this little booklet composed to be a guide to every household, we can make our own the words of our Lord:

I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
Matthew 11:25 ESV

Let us pray:

I thank You, my heavenly Father,

through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son,

that You have kept me this night

from all harm and danger;

and I pray that You would keep me

this day also from sin and every evil,

that all my doings and life may please You.

For into Your hands I commend myself,

my body and soul, and all things.

Let Your holy angel be with me,

that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.