The development of the hymn spans four stages within the history of Christianity.
Its initial inspiration draws from the account of Jesus being presented at the temple 40 days after his birth, in a ritual of purification depicted in the Gospel of Luke.
On that occasion, Simeon praised the light that appeared by the baby.
Centuries later, Simeon's canticle became a regular part of the Liturgy of the Hours as the Nunc dimittis, especially connected to the feast of the purification.

Thirdly, during the Reformation, the Nunc dimittis was used as a prayer of thanks after communion, as documented in a Nördlingen liturgy of 1522 and a Strasbourg liturgy of 1524, the latter specifically calling for its use "after the meal" or communion ("nach dem Mahle").
The rhyming paraphrase created by Johann Englisch, or Johannes Anglicus, first appearing in 1527 on a now-lost leaflet, became a regular part of Strasbourg hymnals from 1530 on.
His version retains the theme of the Nunc dimittis, with its ideas of rest in peace after having seen the light of a saviour who came for all people and especially Israel.
The hymn is sung to a melody attributed to Wolfgang Dachstein, written before 1530.
It is one of three hymns described as Der Lobgesang Simeonis (Simeon's song of praise) appearing in an 1848 collection of Schatz des evangelischen Kirchengesangs im ersten Jahrhundert der Reformation ("Treasure of Protestant church singing in the first century of the reformation").
The first two are the Biblical canticle in Martin Luther's translation, and Luther's paraphrase "Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin", followed by "Im Frieden dein".
A footnote marks the three songs as also suitable for funerals.

Finally, in 1898, Friedrich Spitta, a Protestant theologian, revised the song and added a third stanza, which is now usually placed between the older stanzas.
He shifted the meaning from an individual prayer for a good death to a communal prayer for a meaningful life.
The focus is on communion as a way for believers to see the light of Christ and thereby live in peace and unity.
With additional minor changes, this version of the hymn is part of the German Protestant hymnal, Evangelisches Gesangbuch, as EG 222.

An ecumenical song, it is also part of the current Catholic hymnal, Gotteslob, as GL 216, in the section "Gesänge – Woche – Gesänge zur Kommunion / Dank nach der Kommunion" (Songs – Week – Communion – Thanks after Communion).
It appears in several other hymnals.
The development of the hymn spans four stages within the history of Christianity. Its initial inspiration draws from the account of Jesus being presented at the temple 40 days after his birth, in a ritual of purification depicted in the Gospel of Luke. On that occasion, Simeon praised the light that appeared by the baby. Centuries later, Simeon's canticle became a regular part of the Liturgy of the Hours as the Nunc dimittis, especially connected to the feast of the purification.
Thirdly, during the Reformation, the Nunc dimittis was used as a prayer of thanks after communion, as documented in a Nördlingen liturgy of 1522 and a Strasbourg liturgy of 1524, the latter specifically calling for its use "after the meal" or communion ("nach dem Mahle"). The rhyming paraphrase created by Johann Englisch, or Johannes Anglicus, first appearing in 1527 on a now-lost leaflet, became a regular part of Strasbourg hymnals from 1530 on. His version retains the theme of the Nunc dimittis, with its ideas of rest in peace after having seen the light of a saviour who came for all people and especially Israel. The hymn is sung to a melody attributed to Wolfgang Dachstein, written before 1530. It is one of three hymns described as Der Lobgesang Simeonis (Simeon's song of praise) appearing in an 1848 collection of Schatz des evangelischen Kirchengesangs im ersten Jahrhundert der Reformation ("Treasure of Protestant church singing in the first century of the reformation"). The first two are the Biblical canticle in Martin Luther's translation, and Luther's paraphrase "Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin", followed by "Im Frieden dein". A footnote marks the three songs as also suitable for funerals.
Finally, in 1898, Friedrich Spitta, a Protestant theologian, revised the song and added a third stanza, which is now usually placed between the older stanzas. He shifted the meaning from an individual prayer for a good death to a communal prayer for a meaningful life. The focus is on communion as a way for believers to see the light of Christ and thereby live in peace and unity. With additional minor changes, this version of the hymn is part of the German Protestant hymnal, Evangelisches Gesangbuch, as EG 222.
An ecumenical song, it is also part of the current Catholic hymnal, Gotteslob, as GL 216, in the section "Gesänge – Woche – Gesänge zur Kommunion / Dank nach der Kommunion" (Songs – Week – Communion – Thanks after Communion). It appears in several other hymnals.
Im Frieden dein, o Herre mein