Martin Behm
Who was Martin Behm?
German theologian and writer (1557-1622)
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Martin Behm (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Martin Behm (1557–1622) was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian, and prolific hymnwriter born in Lauban, a town in Silesia, now called Lubań in present-day Poland. He spent most of his life and career in his hometown, serving the local church and working his way up from deacon to chief pastor at the Holy Trinity Church. He was an example of how pastoral work and hymn writing went hand in hand in Lutheran church culture during the late 1500s and early 1600s.
Behm wrote about 480 hymns throughout his life, making him one of the top hymnwriters of early Lutheranism. His hymns were shaped by his strong theological beliefs and a straightforward, easy-to-understand poetic style. Scholar Carl Schalk noted that Behm was among the poets in the late early Lutheran hymn period who wrote many popular hymns, known for their objectivity and simple charm. This made his hymns popular among everyday churchgoers.
Two of Behm's hymns gained special recognition through their connection with Johann Sebastian Bach's music. Bach used Behm's hymn 'Herr Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht' in his cantata Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid, BWV 58. Another hymn, 'O Jesu Christ, mein's Lebens Licht,' became the text for a Bach motet of the same name. These connections with one of Western music's greatest composers helped Behm's words reach audiences well beyond their original Lutheran use.
Behm's time in Lauban was marked by significant religious and political changes in German-speaking areas. After the Reformation, Protestant communities were working to define their theology and worship practices. Hymns were a key part of this, used for teaching doctrine and guiding communal worship. Behm played a major role in this effort, writing hymns throughout his lifetime and staying in his hometown of Lauban from his birth until his death in 1622.
Before Fame
Martin Behm was born in 1557 in Lauban, a Silesian town with a strong Lutheran community that had embraced the Reformation in the years before. We don't have complete information about his early education, but young men of his time who pursued clerical careers usually studied Latin, theology, and rhetoric in gymnasium schools and at university. These institutions were key to preparing Lutheran pastors in the sixteenth century.
Behm became well-known through his local church role. He started as a deacon and later became the chief pastor of the Holy Trinity Church in Lauban, building his reputation within the Lutheran congregation. In this parish setting, his talent for writing hymns grew and thrived, leading to a collection of work that gained recognition beyond his hometown.
Key Achievements
- Composed approximately 480 hymns, placing him among the most prolific Lutheran hymnwriters of the early modern period.
- Authored 'Herr Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht,' later used by J.S. Bach in his cantata BWV 58.
- Authored 'O Jesu Christ, mein's Lebens Licht,' which became the textual foundation of a Bach motet of the same name.
- Served as chief pastor of the Holy Trinity Church in Lauban, combining active parish leadership with sustained literary output.
- Recognized by modern hymnological scholarship as a significant contributor to the closing phase of early Lutheran hymnody.
Did You Know?
- 01.Behm composed approximately 480 hymns over his lifetime, making him one of the most prolific hymnwriters of the early Lutheran tradition.
- 02.His hymn 'O Jesu Christ, mein's Lebens Licht' was used by Johann Sebastian Bach as the basis for a motet of the same name, performed over a century after Behm's death.
- 03.Behm was born and died in the same town, Lauban in Silesia, spending virtually his entire life within the community he served as a pastor.
- 04.Carl Schalk, a noted scholar of Lutheran hymnody, specifically cited Behm's work as exemplifying 'childlike naivety' and 'objectivity,' qualities regarded as virtues in popular devotional poetry of his era.
- 05.Bach's cantata Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid, BWV 58, incorporates Behm's hymn 'Herr Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht,' preserving the pastor's words within one of the most celebrated bodies of Baroque choral music.