May 27th, 2026, marks the 350th anniversary of the death of Paul Gerhardt — one of the most beloved hymn writers in the history of the Lutheran Church. In this episode, host Elizabeth Pittman is joined by Peter Reske from the CPH music team for a deep dive into Gerhardt's life, his enduring hymns, and the faith that sustained him through one of history's most devastating eras. Grab your hymnal and join us.

Episode Timestamps

1:51 — Why talk about Paul Gerhardt? Previous episodes & the 350th anniversary

5:21 — Overview of Gerhardt's 17 hymns in Lutheran Service Book (grab your hymnal!)

10:44 — Paul Gerhardt's biography: Early life, the Thirty Years' War & Wittenberg

14:42 — “A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth” (LSB 438) — hymn as drama

25:28 — “Entrust Your Days and Burdens” (LSB 754) — comfort, acrostic structure & Psalm 37:5

37:04 — Mittenwalde, the altarpiece & the origin of “O Sacred Head Now Wounded”

44:53 — “Rejoice My Heart, Be Glad and Sing” & closing reflections

46:43 — New CPH release: Gerhardt Hymns for SAB Choir by Kevin Hildebrand 

Preview the new collection of hymns at cph.org/paul-gerhardt-hymns-for-sab-choir.

About the Guest

Peter C. Reske is senior editor of music/worship at Concordia Publishing House, where he has served since 2004. He holds degrees in English literature from Marquette University and in musicology from The Pennsylvania State University. In addition to his ongoing role overseeing music publications for CPH, he was the editor of Lutheran Service Book (2006) and its attendant resources, editor of The Hymns of Martin Luther (2016), and editorial advisor for One and All Rejoice (2020). With Joseph Herl and Jon D. Vieker, he was co-editor of Lutheran Service Book: Companion to the Hymns (2019).

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