PRAISE TO THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY

Our hymn this time was written by Joachim Neander who was born in 1650.  His father, grandfather, great-grandfather and his great-great-grandfather all were named Joachim Neander and all had been preachers of the gospel.  Young Joachim, however, was some rebellious and wild in his early years.  At the age of 20, he joined a group of students who descended on St. Martin’s Church to ridicule and scoff at the worshippers.

The sermon preached by the Pastor that evening really convicted Joachim and the experience led to his conversion.  Who would have thought that only a few years later, he would become the assistant preacher at that very church?

Joachim often took long walks near his home.  He liked to refer to them as ‘worship walks.’  During these outings, he frequently composed hymns as he strolled; and then sang them to the Lord.  When he was 30 years old and while battling tuberculosis, he wrote these words.

                "Praise Ye the Lord... the Almighty... the King of Creation,

                O my soul praise Him... for He is Thy health and Salvation."

These were the first words of his hymn, PRAISE TO THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY!   Later that year he died...yet his hymn of praise lives on.