PRAISE TO THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY

Some of the great hymns of praise were written many centuries ago.  This week's hymn was actually written in 1680 and has been sung by believers all of these years.  It was written by Joachim Neander whose father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfatrher - all Joachim Neanders - had been preachers of the gospel.  How about that for an amazing heritage!  It is said that Joachim, the hymn writer, was rather wild and rebellious growing up.  At the age of 20 he and a group of students entered a church to ridicule and scoff at the worshippers.  But instead he was convicted by the sermon and that led to his conversion.  And a few years later he actually became the assistant preacher of that very same church.  It is said that he enjoyed taking long walks near his home in Hochdal, Germany.  And on these walks he would worship and often would compose hymns which he sang to the Lord while he strolled.  He is known as the first hymn writer from the Calvinist branch of Protestantism.  Unfortunately he battled tuberculosis and died when he was only 30 years old.  But shortly before he died he penned the words of this week's hymn selection.  An interesting sidelight is the fact that one of his walking spots was a beautiful gorge a few miles from Dusseldorf.  He loved this spot so much and eventually it was actually named for him - Neander Valley.  Two hundred years later, in 1856, miners discovered caves in this valley that contained human bones.  Later these bones were thought to be proof of evolution's famous "missing link" and they were called the Neanderthal fossils.  It is sad that his name would become world famous for human evolution, a concept that he would have rejected.  Today praise choruses have replaced many of the great old hymns of the faith in our worship services.  But that doesn't replace the profound message of this hymn that He is the King of creation and He wondrously reigneth. He is our health and salvation and He shelters us under His wings.  And, appropriately, the last phrase should be our challenge this week - "Ponder anew what the Almighty can do if with His love He befriend you."

(1)    Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, 
the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

(2)     Praise to the Lord, who over all things 

so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires ever have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

(3)   Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

(4)    Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work 
and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Listen to this hymn being sung here.   LISTEN