Nun freut euch lieben Christengemein

Nun freut euch lieben Christengemein. Martin Luther* (1483-1546). This has some claim to be thought of as Luther’s first congregational hymn, for the poem that preceded it, written in the same year (1523), ‘Ein neues Lied wir heben an’, is more of a ballad than a hymn. This text was for the ‘Christengemein’, the Christian society or congregation. It was first published in Etlich christlich lider Lobgesang un[d] Psalm (the ‘Achtliederbuch’, Wittenberg, 1524), with the title ‘Ein Christenlichs lied Doctoris Martini Luthers, die unaussprechliche gnaden Gottes und des rechten Glaubens begreyffendt’ (‘A Christian hymn of Dr Martin Luther, setting out the inexpressible grace of God and the true...