Martin H. Franzmann (1907–76) wrote this hymn on commission to mark the 450th anniversary of the Reformation in 1967, its theme being “Life—New Life.” It was first published in the Pentecost 1967 issue of Response in Worship— Music—the Arts. Franzmann’s original manuscripts survive at the Concordia Historical Institute in St. Louis; alongside the fair copy dated September 23, 1966, is a rough draft where he scribbled potential end rhymes in the margin—a rare glimpse of a great hymn writer at work. One small editorial change was made when the text was included in the 1969 Worship Supplement: the word “strangles” in the third stanza was moved to the past tense “strangled.” The powerful tune WITTENBERG NEW was composed by Jan O. Bender (1909–1994), then on the music faculty at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio—not the German city—and its original publication included parts for congregation, organ, and trumpet descant.
Sung at Our Saviour
2026