Nun ruhen alle Wälder (Abendlied)
The World at Rest
As the world settles into evening, the believer turns their heart toward Jesus as the true light.
Now all the forests rest—livestock, people, towns, and fields; the whole world is asleep. But you, my senses: up, up! You are to begin what pleases your Creator. Where have you gone, sun? The night has driven you away—the night, the enemy of the day. Go on your way; another sun—my Jesus, my joy—shines so brightly in my heart.
Mortality and the Heavenly Robe
The setting sun and the removal of clothing serve as reminders of our earthly pilgrimage and the future glory of Christ's righteousness.
The day is now gone; the little golden stars shine bright in the blue hall of heaven. So I too will stand, when my God bids me go out of this valley of sorrow.1 The body now hurries to its rest; it lays aside its clothes and shoes—the image of mortality. I take them off; in their place Christ will clothe me with the robe of honor and glory.✦✦
Preparation for the Final Sleep
The weariness of the body is framed as a rehearsal for the final rest in the grave.
Head, feet, and hands are glad that the work has now come to an end. Heart, rejoice—you will be free from the misery of this earth and from the labor of sin.✦2 Now go, you weary limbs; go on and lie down—you long for your beds. Hours and times will come when they will prepare for you a little bed of rest in the earth.3
The Guardian of Israel
As eyes grow heavy, the believer entrusts their body and soul to the watchful care of God.
My eyes stand heavy and weary; in a moment they're closed. What then becomes of body and soul?4 Take them into your grace; make good all the harm, you Eye and Guardian of Israel.5
Under the Shadow of His Wings
The prayer concludes by seeking divine protection against spiritual enemies and extending that blessing to loved ones.
Spread your wings wide, O Jesus, my joy, and take your little chick in.✦ If Satan wants to devour me, then let the little angels sing: "This child shall be unharmed."✦✦ And you too, my dear ones—may no mishap or danger trouble you today. May God let you sleep in blessed peace; may He place His golden armor and His host of angels around your bed.67
Read the original Latin
Nun ruhen alle Wälder, Vieh, Menschen, Städt und Felder, es schläft die ganze Welt; ihr aber, meine Sinnen, auf, auf, ihr sollt beginnen, was eurem Schöpfer wohlgefällt.
Wo bist du, Sonne, blieben? Die Nacht hat dich vertrieben, die Nacht, des Tages Feind. Fahr hin; ein andre Sonne, mein Jesus, meine Wonne, gar hell in meinem Herzen scheint.
Der Tag ist nun vergangen, die güldnen Sternlein prangen am blauen Himmelssaal; also werd ich auch stehen, wenn mich wird heißen gehen mein Gott aus diesem Jammertal.
Der Leib eilt nun zur Ruhe, legt ab das Kleid und Schuhe, das Bild der Sterblichkeit; die zieh ich aus, dagegen wird Christus mir anlegen den Rock der Ehr und Herrlichkeit.
Das Haupt, die Füß und Hände sind froh, dass nun zum Ende die Arbeit kommen sei. Herz, freu dich, du sollst werden vom Elend dieser Erden und von der Sünden Arbeit frei.
Nun geht, ihr matten Glieder, geht hin und legt euch nieder, der Betten ihr begehrt. Es kommen Stund und Zeiten, da man euch wird bereiten zur Ruh ein Bettlein in der Erd.
Mein Augen stehn verdrossen, im Nu sind sie geschlossen. Wo bleibt dann Leib und Seel? Nimm sie zu deinen Gnaden, sei gut für allen Schaden, du Aug und Wächter Israel'.
Breit aus die Flügel beide, o Jesu, meine Freude, und nimm dein Küchlein ein. Will Satan mich verschlingen, so lass die Englein singen: "Dies Kind soll unverletzet sein."
Auch euch, ihr meine Lieben, soll heute nicht betrüben kein Unfall noch Gefahr. Gott lass euch selig schlafen, stell euch die güldnen Waffen ums Bett und seiner Engel Schar.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Eph.4.22-Eph.4.24;Col.3.9-Col.3.10;Gal.3.27 — you were taught to put off your former way of life, the old self, which is being corrupted according to the desires of deceit; Eph.4.23 — and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, Eph.4.24 — and put on the new self, created according to God in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Col.3.9 — Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices, Col.3.10 — and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its Creator Gal.3.27 — For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
- ↩Isa.61.10;1Cor.15.53-1Cor.15.54 — I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with garments of salvation, a robe of righteousness he has wrapped around me, as a groom wears a priestly crown, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 1Cor.15.53 — For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 1Cor.15.54 — But when this perishable puts on imperishability, and this mortal puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.'
- ↩Gen.3.17-Gen.3.19 — And to Adam he said, "Because you listened to the voice of your wife and ate from the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat from it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Gen.3.18 — And thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the plants of the field. Gen.3.19 — By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread, until you return to the ground, for from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
- ↩Matt.23.37;Luke.13.34;Ps.91.4 — Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you — how often I desired to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Luke.13.34 — O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! Ps.91.4 — With his pinions he will cover you, and under his wings you will take refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and a buckler.
- ↩1Pet.5.8 — Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
- ↩Ps.91.11-Ps.91.12;Matt.18.10 — For he will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. Ps.91.12 — They will lift you up in their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone. Matt.18.10 — See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
Notes
- 1 ↩Jammertal is the traditional devotional 'vale/valley of tears' (vale of misery). Rendered here as 'valley of sorrow' for modern readability while keeping the eschatological pilgrimage sense.
- 2 ↩"Sünden Arbeit" can mean both the toil that sin causes and the labor of sins themselves; rendered as "the labor of sin" to keep the genitive force without over-specifying.
- 3 ↩Bettlein in der Erd is the grave cast as a small bed—memento mori under the evening-rest image, not a literal second bedroom.
- 4 ↩German 'Wo bleibt dann X?' is idiomatic for 'what then becomes of X?' rather than a literal spatial 'where does X remain?'
- 5 ↩'sei gut für allen Schaden' is older German for standing surety / making restitution for every harm, not merely 'be kind about damage'.
- 6 ↩güldnen Waffen: baroque image of divine protection as golden arms/armor around the sleeper; rendered as 'golden armor' rather than literal military 'weapons' to keep the protective sense without sounding martial.
- 7 ↩selig schlafen: 'selig' carries Lutheran blessing/salvation coloring, not mere cheerfulness; 'blessed peace' keeps that weight in plain English.
Paul Gerhardt Hymns (selected from Praxis Pietatis Melica) companion
Never lose the rhythm again
Chosen Portion delivers your morning, midday and night office to your phone — the Hours, without the bells.
Chosen Portion is a modern Book of Hours: it turns the fixed-hour structure this collection preserves into scheduled, tappable daily prayer on your phone.
- Three daily prayer moments scheduled around your real calendar, not a monastery's
- Psalms and historic prayers sequenced for you — no page-flipping or decision fatigue
- A visible streak of completed offices, so the rhythm compounds instead of collapsing