Luther's Hymns
VI. We All Believe in One True God
Luther's hymn "We All Believe in One True God" is the Catechism Chorale based on the Nicene Creed. In the German Church service, this hymn took the place of the Latin Creed.
In each stanza, there are several notes for the word "all" to emphasize that all Christians are to believe and confess this creed. In the same way, there are several notes for the words "careth," "crucified," "flesh," "might," "men," and "be" to underscore the comforting truths of how our God cares for us, redeems us, and raises us up to eternal life.
J.S. Bach used Luther's setting of this chorale in the Klavieruebung, Part III. There Bach used the repeating ostinato ground of several notes to underscore the truth that the Creed is the foundation of our Christian faith.
—Pastor Gordon Waterman
1. We all believe in one true God,
Who created earth and heaven,
The Father, who to us in love
Hath the right of children given.
He both soul and body feedeth,
All we need He doth provide us;
He through snares and perils leadeth,
Watching that no harm betide us.
He careth for us day and night,
All things are governed by His might.
2. We all believe in Jesus Christ,
His own Son, our Lord, possessing
An equal Godhead, throne, and might,
Source of every grace and blessing.
Born of Mary, virgin mother,
By the power of the Spirit,
Made true man, our elder Brother,
That the lost might life inherit;
Was crucified for sinful men
And raised by God to life again.
3. We all confess the Holy Ghost,
Who sweet grace and comfort giveth
And with the Father and the Son
In eternal glory liveth;
Who the Church, His own creation,
Keeps in unity of spirit.
Here forgiveness and salvation
Daily come through Jesus' merit.
All flesh shall rise, and we shall be
In bliss with God eternally.
By Martin Luther, 1525
Based on the Nicene Creed