Anna Sophia of Hesse-Darmstadt

Princess Anna Sophia of Hesse-Darmstadt was born at Marburg on December 17, 1638, the daughter of Landgrave Georg II. Thoroughly educated in Holy Scripture and the writings of the early Church Fathers, she was elected Probstin of the Lutheran foundation for noble women at Quedlinburg in 1657, later rising to the position of Abbess in 1680, a role she filled until her death on December 13, 1683. Her devotional writings and spiritual verse focus predominantly on the soul's mystical union with Christ, heavily influenced by the imagery of the Song of Songs. Her principal work, Der Treue Seelen-Freund Christus Jesus, was published at Jena in 1658 and contained numerous reflective poems and original spiritual songs. Her most celebrated hymn, "Wohl dem der Jesum liebet," was translated into English by George Walker in 1860 as "How happy they, who know and love." Another English rendering, "What joy to love the Saviour," appeared in the British Herald in 1866 and was later incorporated into William Reid's Praise Book in 1872.