"We Gather Together"

Thanksgiving Hymns

Theodore Baker, 1894

We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;
He chastens and hastens His will to make known.
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.
Sing praises to His Name; He forgets not His own.

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
Ordaining, maintaining His kingdom divine;
So from the beginning the fight we were winning;
Thou, Lord, were at our side, all glory be Thine!

We all do extol Thee, Thou Leader triumphant,
And pray that Thou still our Defender will be.
Let Thy congregation escape tribulation;
Thy Name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!

According to Robert J. Morgan in his book Then Sings My Soul, Book 2: 

. . . "We Gather Together", which Americans associate with their Thanksgiving holiday, was actually written sometime in 1597 to celebrate Holland's freedom from Spain.  Its author, an unknown Dutchman, was full of thanksgiving that his people were finally free from Spanish tyranny and free to worship as they chose.

This hymn first appeared in an American hymnal in 1903 and became popular during World War I and World War II when Americans could identify with the references to war references.  When the Dutch Reformed Church of North America created a hymnal in 1937, this was the first hymn which was included. 

"Wilt Heden nu Treden"

Wilt heden nu treden voor God den Heere,
Hem boven al loven van herten seer,
End' maken groot zijns lieven namens eere,
Die daar nu onsen vijan slaat terneer.

Ter eeren ons Heeren wilt al u dagen
Dit wonder bijzonder gedencken toch;
Maekt u, o mensch, voor God steets wel te dragen,
Doet ieder recht en wacht u voor bedrog.

D'arglosen, den boosen om yet te vinden,
Loopt driesschen, en briesschen gelyck een leeu,
Soeckende wie hy wreedelyck verslinden,
Of geven mocht een doodelycke preeu.

Bidt, waket end' maket dat g'in bekoring,
End' 't quade met schade toch niet en valt.
U vroomheyt brengt den vijant tot verstoring,
Al waer sijn rijck nog eens so sterck bewalt.

For a medley of Thanksgiving hymns which includes "We Gather Together", click here if the image below does not appear on your screen.