"We Gather Together"

No Thanksgiving Day would be complete without the singing of the traditional Dutch hymn, “We Gather Together.” We sing this hymn as an expression of thanks to God as our defender and guide throughout the year.

The text was originally written by an anonymous author at the end of the sixteenth century, to celebrate the Dutch freedom from the Spanish overlords, who had been driven from their land, and the freedom that was theirs, both politically from Spain and religiously from the Catholic Church.

A number of Dutch nationalistic songs developed as a result of this patriotic emphasis. This hymn is generally considered to be the finest of these musical expressions (source, pg. 95-96). The following are the lyrics to this beautiful and glorious hymn (source):

"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, was 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!"

Beloved, may we give all glory, honor and praise not only on Thanksgiving Day, but every day to the One from whom all blessings flow (James 1:17; cf. Malachi 3:10; 2 Chronicles 31:5-10).

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets