Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
Words: Joachim Neander, 1680; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1863 · Tune "Lobe den Herren": Joachim Neander, 1665 · Public domain
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Verse 1
GPraise to Dthe GLord, Dthe EmAl-Bmmight-Cy, Gthe CKing F#dimof Emcre-C6a-Gtion!
GO my Dsoul, Gpraise Dhim, Emfor Bmhe Cis Gthy Chealth F#dimand Emsal-C6va-Gtion!
GAll Dye Gwho Chear, Gnow Cto Dhis Gtem-D9ple Gdraw Dnear,
Bmjoin Cme F#dimin Emglad Ama-Bdo-Amra-Gtion!
Verse 2
GPraise to Dthe GLord, Dwho Emo'er Bmall Cthings Gso Cwon-F#dimdrous-Emly C6reign-Geth,
Gshelters Dthee Gun-Dder Emhis Bmwings, Cyea, Gso Cgent-F#dimly Emsus-C6tain-Geth!
GHast Dthou Gnot Cseen Ghow Cthy Dde-Gsires D9e'er Ghave Dbeen
Bmgrant-Ced F#dimin Emwhat Amhe Bor-Amdain-Geth?
Verse 3
GPraise to Dthe GLord, Dwho Emdoth Bmpros-Cper Gthy Cwork F#dimand Emde-C6fend Gthee;
Gsurely Dhis Ggood-Dness Emand Bmmer-Ccy Ghere Cdai-F#dimly Emat-C6tend Gthee.
GPon-Dder Ga-Cnew Gwhat Cthe DAl-Gmight-D9y Gcan Ddo,
Bmif Cwith F#dimhis Emlove Amhe Bbe-Amfriend Gthee.
Verse 4
GPraise to Dthe GLord! DO Emlet Bmall Cthat Gis Cin F#dimme Ema-C6dore Ghim!
GAll that Dhath Glife Dand Embreath, Bmcome Cnow Gwith Cprais-F#dimes Embe-C6fore Ghim!
GLet Dthe GA-Cmen Gsound Cfrom Dhis Gpeo-D9ple Ga-Dgain,
Bmglad-Cly F#dimfor Emaye Amwe Ba-Amdore Ghim.
Chords in the key of G
- G
- D
- Em
- Bm
- C
- F#dim
- C6
- D9
- Am
- B
About this hymn
- Words
- Joachim Neander, German original 1680; English translation by Catherine Winkworth, 1863
- Music
- LOBE DEN HERREN, a German melody first printed in 1665, composer anonymous, likely adapted from a folk tune
- Meter
- 14.14.4.7.8
- In
- 453 hymnals
- Scripture
- Psalm 103, Psalm 150, Psalm 23
The story
Joachim Neander wrote the German words in 1680, built out of Psalm 103 and Psalm 150. He died that same year, at thirty. The tune is older than the words. It shows up in print in 1665 and seems to have started as a folk melody that carried other texts before it carried this one. Bach built a cantata on the chorale in 1725, used it again in a wedding cantata, and set it for organ. The English we sing is Catherine Winkworth's 1863 translation. One thing to watch at the bench: the meter is 14.14.4.7.8. Those long opening lines and the short fourth line mean you cannot drop in a common meter tune here.
Where it fits in a service
Often used as an opening hymn or a call to worship, since the whole text is straight praise. It also works well on a thanksgiving Sunday or anywhere the service needs a strong, lifted start.
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Take it further
This hymn in three keys, and 49 more
The 50 Hymns for the Church Pianist collection has this hymn in three keys with every verse, a Sunday Version with gospel moves, and big keyboard pictures. Large print and regular print.
See the collection →All 21 in one printed book
The Hymn & Carol Chord Chart Book puts 21 hymns and carols on paper, chords over the words, with a lead sheet and the story behind each one. Full-size pages for the music stand.
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The same chart as a clean one-page PDF — with large-print lyrics, a guitar chart and a Nashville number chart of the same hymn.
See the printable set →Why these chords work
Gospel Piano Chords by Ear is the book behind these charts — how to hear the I, IV and V, and how to move between them without reading music.
About the book →Learn it with Henry
Online lessons, by ear, from the author of the book — a camera on the keys and this hymn ready for Sunday.
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