This hymn was written and published in The Voice of Praise, 1872, a hymnbook for the Methodist Episcopal Church. Clark was a member of the committee that prepared the book. An earnest prayer for God’s blessing, it has been in a number of American Methodist hymnals, including the 1964 edition.

Alexander Clark was born March 10, 1834, in Jefferson County, Ohio, and was educated by his scholarly father. He began teaching at age 17 and started editorial work that would capture his attention for most of his life. Eventually, he edited the Methodist Recorder, an official organ of the church; wrote articles for other magazines; preached and lectured extensively; and authored inspirational books and a small volume of poems. He died at Atlanta, Georgia, July 6, 1879. 

AUS DER TIEFE (“Out of the Depths”; also known as HEINLEIN) first appeared with the hymn beginning with these words, under the initials “M. H.,” in the German book Nurnbergisches Gesangbuch, 1676. Scholars are fairly sure that those initials stand for Martin Herbst. Born January 15, 1654, at Rothenbach, Germany, Herbert studied at the St. Lorenz’s School in Nuremberg. Later he studied theology and philosophy at Altdorf and Jena. In 1680 he became rector of the Gymnasium at Eisleben and pastor of St. Andreas Church there. Unfortunately, he contracted the plague and died in 1681 at the age of 27. He was the probable composer of four of the melodies in the Nuremberg songbook mentioned above.

📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.