20 OTTE HYMNS I
writer. There are only three psalms by Luther in the " New Congregational Hymn Book," and no hymns.
" God is our refuge in distress." No. 66.
The two verses given as a rendering of Luther s version of the 46th Psalm, are an inadequate representation of his well- known piece of four stanzas.
" Ein feste burg ist unser Gott."
They do not keep close to the German original, and lack its special force. Kiibler says that D Aubigne is in error in assign ing this piece to the year 1530, because it had appeared in 1529, with the bold tune Luther had written for it in Joseph Klug s hymn book. This Protestant hymn, affirming that God was the defence of His people, was written in the year when the Evan gelical princes delivered that protest at the diet of Spires, from which " Protestants " take their name. Luther used often to sing it in 1530, while the diet of Augsburg was sitting. It soon became a favourite psalm with the people. It was one of the watchwords of the Information, cheering armies to conflict, and sustaining believers in the hour of fiery trial. After Luther s death, when Melancthon was at Weimar with his banished friends, Jonas and Creuziger, he heard a little maid sing this psalm in the street, and said, " Sing on, my little girl, you don t know what famous people you comfort." The first line of this psalm is in scribed on Luther s tomb at Wittenberg. It has been called the national hymn of Protestant Germany.
" Let God arise, and let His foes." No. 97. Luther s rendering of Psalm Ixviii.
" Out of the depths I cry to Thee." No. 215.
Luther s rendering of Psalm cxxx. It was composed and pub lished by him in 1524. In the same year he altered it and pub lished it again. It is the second edition that is usually followed.
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