WE GATHER TOGETHER
- 5 days ago
- 1 min read
If you visit the Netherlands or have seen the picturesque photos of the country’s amazing beauty with its flowers, dikes and windmills, you can imagine the beauty that was one of the inspirations for the hymn WE GATHER TOGTHER. It is a hymn of thanksgiving written sometime in 1597. Yet, many will be unaware of the terrific struggle for religious freedom that took place in the 16th century and preceded the writing of this hymn.
It was a devastating religious struggle in which Spain, under the rule of King Phillip II, was attempting to stop rising Calvinistic reformation in Holland. Many were killed or exiled and dikes were broken flooding the lands. Southern regions of Holland had finally declared their allegiance to King Phillip but the north refused to submit. In 1581, Holland declared its independence led by the courageous William of Orange. The brave nation would not be denied and eventually Spain lost its hold on the Dutch Republic.
WE GATHER TOGETHER, was translated into English by Theodore Baker. It is a hymn that North Americans associate with their Thanksgiving. It was written by an unknown Dutchman who was full of thanksgiving that his people were finally free from tyranny and were again free to worship God as they chose. For whatever reason we may have…it remains a wonderful expression of thanksgiving to God.