The last years of Paul Gerhardt’s life were difficult ones. Having lost his position as a pastor in Berlin, he was without a call. Then, following this loss, a year later he lost his beloved wife, Anna, when she died in March 1668. Things seemed to be getting better when, in October, the town of Lübben called him to be their pastor. However, Lübben was a small place, and the town council was composed of rough and half-educated people who did not appreciate Gerhardt and who subjected him to more than a few annoyances. One of his contemporaries wrote that Gerhardt was living in circumstances which, “would have made most men cry rather than sing.” Yet Gerhard continued to sing, finding his refuge in writing hymns.

One of the hymns he composed while in Lübben is “Die güldne Sonne,” a hymn that comes to us in English as “Evening and Morning” (ELH #57). Written in the last year of Gerhardt’s life, this hymn nicely summarizes his life and career as a pastor. Like many of Paul Gerhardt’s hymns, its theme is God’s merciful providence at all times and all situations in our life. What makes this hymn unique, however, is that while it recognizes that God at times allows crosses into the lives of His people, nowhere does it ask for God to remove the cross. Rather it assumes a joyful and confident spirit that our whole life, even the ills that do grieve the Christian, can safely be committed into the hand of the Father. In other words, Gerhardt found cause to give thanks even for the crosses in his life, for

Though billows tower,
And winds gain power,
After the storm the fair sun shows its face.

We too have difficult times in our lives, storms of varying force that disrupt our calm and move us to cry rather than sing, perhaps even wonder if God has left us. Yet Gerhardt would encourage us to see God even in the storms of our lives and, while we pray for deliverance from these troubles, rejoice that God will bring us deliverance from evil, if not now, then in the life to come.

Evening and morning,
Sunset and dawning,
Wealth, peace, and gladness,
Comfort in sadness:
These are Thy works; all the glory be Thine!
Times without number,
Awake or in slumber,
Thine eye observes us,
From danger preserves us,
Causing Thy mercy upon us to shine.

Father, O hear me,
Pardon and spare me;
Calm all my terrors,
Blot out my errors,
That by Thine eyes they may no more be scanned.
Order my goings,
Direct all my doings;
As it may please Thee,
Retain or release me;
All I commit to Thy fatherly hand.

Ills that still grieve me
Soon are to leave me;
Though billows tower,
And winds gain power,
After the storm the fair sun shows its face.
Joys e’er increasing
And peace never ceasing:
These shall I treasure
And share in full measure
When in His mansions God grants me a place.

To God in heaven
All praise be given!
Come, let us offer
And gladly proffer
To the Creator the gifts He doth prize.
He well receiveth
A heart that believeth;
Hymns that adore Him
Are precious before Him
And to His throne like sweet incense arise.

Alexander Ring is pastor of Lakewood Lutheran Church in Tacoma, Washington.