"Die güldne Sonne voll Freud und Wonne" (The golden sun full of joy and delight) is a Lutheran hymn by Paul Gerhardt.

Catherine Winkworth translated seven stanzas of the hymn into English ("The golden sunbeams with their joyous gleams", 1855), and Richard Massie six ("Evening and Morning", 1857).

[1]: 38 Gerhardt was influenced by the writing and poetry of Johann Arndt,[1]: 22 [3] whose Sechs Bücher vom wahren Christentum (lit.

[1]: 2–3, 21–22  Gerhardt's "Die güldne Sonne" follows Arndt's thoughts, inviting the reader to contemplate the beauty and blessings of God's creation.

[5]: 322  "Die güldne Sonne" was first published in the third volume of Pauli Gerhardi Geistliche Andachten, with a four-part setting by Ebeling.

[5]: 322 [6] It appeared under the header "Morgen-Segen" (Morning–blessing):[6][7] Further volumes of Ebeling's Pauli Gerhardi Geistliche Andachten were first published by Christoph Runge in Berlin.

[12] In a comparatively small number of his poems, Gerhardt used an unusual verse structure, in rhyme scheme and hymn metre.

[2]: 20  A style characteristic of the poetry is the Baroque usage of twin formulas, or doublets of exact or approximate synonyms, such as "Freud und Wonne" (lit.

It has the complete content in a version that can be sung to the hymn tune, which is based partly on the translations of Kelly, R. Massie and Cox.

[15] Winkworth's "The golden sunbeams with their joyous gleams", a translation of stanzas 1–4, 8, 9 and 12 of Gerhardt's hymn, was published in her Lyra Germanica of 1855.

Die güldne Sonne voll Freud und Wonne bringt unsern Grenzen mit ihrem Glänzen ein herzerquickendes, liebliches Licht.

The golden sunbeams with their joyous gleams, Are kindling o'er earth, her life and mirth, Shedding forth lovely and heart-cheering light; Through the dark hours' chill I lay silent and still, But risen at length to gladness and strength, I gaze on the heavens all glowing and bright.

Evening and morning, Sunset and dawning, Wealth, peace and gladness, Comfort in sadness,— These are Thy works; all the glory be Thine!

Times without number, Awake or in slumber, Thine eye observes us, From danger preserves us, Causing Thy mercy upon us to shine.

His grace and favour Uninjur'd are ever, Deadly wounds healing, The heart with peace filling, Health here and yonder to us they ensure.

Freude die Fülle und selige Stille wird mich erwarten im himmlischen Garten; dahin sind meine Gedanken gericht'.

Ills that still grieve me Soon are to leave me; Though waves may tower And winds gain power, After the storm the fair sun shows its face.

Joys e'er increasing, And peace never ceasing, These I shall treasure And share in full measure When in his mansions God grants me a place.

[22] A 21st-century interpretation is that the triple metre of Ebeling's setting has the character of a galliard, a dance with a "light-footed" rhythm, which musically elevates the earth-heavy (erdenschwer) statements of Gerhardt's text.

[26] According to author Christa Kirschbaum, speaking in a 2016 WDR 3 broadcast on the hymn, Ebeling's melody follows the text of the first stanza, beginning high, like the sun, turning downward when "lying down" (lagen darnieder) is mentioned, and rising again starting from "But now I stand" (Aber nun steh ich).

[3] Ebeling's setting was also recorded by Klaus Mertens, accompanied by the pianist Götz Payer (2011), and by the Stuttgarter Hymnus-Chorknaben, conducted by Gerhard Wilhelm [de] (1986).

[27][28][29][30][31] Jacob Hintze [de] published "Die güldne Sonne voll Freud und Wonne" with a different tune, Zahn No.