The German original of this seven-stanza hymn was first published in 1732, in Benjamin Schmolck’s Kirchen Gefährte (Church Companion), and bore the title “Appearing Before God.” It was inspired by Psalm, 122:2: “Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.” Miss Winkworth’s (1827-1878; see Biographies) translation of five stanzas was included in her Chorale Book for England, 1863. It was also included in Horder’s Congregational Hymns, 1884, with very minor changes, one of them being “guiding star” for the original “polestar through my life” in the fourth stanza.

Schmolck was born December 21, 1672, in Brauchitzchdorf, Silesia (between Czechoslovakia and Poland), the son of a Lutheran pastor. After several years of study at the Gymnasium at Luban, he came home and preached a sermon so good (for one so young) that one of the strong financial supporters of the church gave him a three-year scholarship to study theology at the University of Leipzig. Here he earned extra money composing special-occasion poems for wealthy people, and was crowned poet laureate in 1697. Returning home, he was ordained as his father’s assistant in 1701 and the next year was appointed to serve the Friedenskirke at Schweidnitz in Silesia.

About this time a Counter-reformation movement resulted in the churched in this area being taken away from the Lutherans. For this whole district they were allowed only one church, and that outside the walls of town, made only of timber and clay and without a tower or bells. Schmolck and two other clergy had to minister to people scattered among 36 villages. Many restrictions hampered their work—in order to have prayer for a sick person, permission had to be obtained from the local Catholic priest. Here Schmolck ministered for 35 years, the final five of which he worked in spite of a stroke and near-blindness.

He was known as a hard worker lovingly tactful in dealing with people and their problems. He was the most popular hymn writer of his time, some 900 of his works being published and used all over Germany. He also wrote devotional books, cantatas, and occasional pieces for weddings and funerals. He died at Schweidnitz February 12, 1737, after a long illness. For another of his hymns in SDAH, see No. 389, “Light of Light, Enlighten Me.”

The tune UNSER HERRSCHER (Our Lord [Ruler]) was composed by Joachim Neander (1650-1680; see Biographies). It was first published in his Alpha und Omega, Galub- und Liebesübung (Alpha and Omega: The Practice of Faith and Love), in Bremen in 1680. The melody is most attractive, with the generally ascending tendency of the first two pairs of lines succeeded by the gradual descending repeated notes in the last two lines. The same tune, with somewhat different harmony, is used for SDAH 418, “Day of Judgement, Day of Wonders!”