Born: March 6, 1659, Wei­mar, Ger­ma­ny.

Died: July 11, 1725, Wei­mar, Ger­ma­ny.

Son of Ja­kob Franck, fi­nan­cial sec­re­ta­ry at Wei­mar, Sal­o­mo prob­ab­ly stu­died at Je­na, and seems there­af­ter to have held some ap­point­ment at Zwick­au. In 1689 he be­came sec­re­ta­ry of the Schwarz­burg du­cal ad­min­is­tra­tion at Arn­stadt, and in 1697 of the Sax­on ad­min­is­tra­tion and of the con­sis­to­ry at Je­na. In 1702, he was ap­point­ed sec­re­ta­ry of the con­sis­to­ry, li­brar­i­an, and cur­at­or of the duc­al col­lect­ion of coins and me­dals at Wei­mar.

He was a mem­ber of the Fruit­bear­ing So­ci­e­ty, and wrote a con­sid­er­a­ble num­ber of se­cu­lar po­ems. A di­li­gent work­er, he bore se­vere “fam­i­ly af­flict­ions,” and an un­der­cur­rent of med­i­ta­tion on death is in ma­ny of his hymns. He wrote about 330 hymns in his life.

Sources

Hymns

1. Ach gott verlass mich nicht
   • Forsake Me Not, My God
   • O God, Forsake Me Not!
2. Ach was ist doch unsre Zeit
   • Oh! What Is Human Life Below
3. Gott, du Licht, das ewig bleibet
4. Heil’ger Tisch! Den Jesus decket
   • This Holy Feast, by Jesus Spread
5. Ich halte Gott in allem stille
   • I Leave All Things to God’s Direction
6. Ich weiss, es kann mir nichts geschehen
7. Ich weiss es wird mein Ende komme
   • I Know My End Must Surely Come
   • I Know the Doom That Must Befall Me
8. Mein Gott, wie bist du so verbgorgen
9. So ruhest du, o meine Ruh
   • Now to the Tomb Thyself Art Come
   • Rest of the Weary!
   • So Dost Thou Rest
   • So Rest, My Rest!
   • So Thou Art Resting
   • Thou Who Hast Blest My Soul with Rest
   • Thou Restest in the Tomb Beneath