Philipp Nicolai (10 August 1556 – 26 October 1608) was a German Lutheran pastor, poet, and composer. He is most widely recognized as a hymnodist.Philipp Nicolai was born at Mengeringhausen in Waldeck, Hesse, Germany where his father was a Lutheran pastor. His early education include studies at Kassel in Hesse, Hildesheim in Lower Saxony and Dortmund in Westphalia. He studied theology at the University of Erfurt where he was a pupil of Ludwig Helmbold.
In 1583, he was ordained to the Lutheran ministry and was appointed minister at Herdecke. He was subsequently expelled during the Counter-Reformation. In 1588, he became pastor at Altwildungen in Hesse. He graduated with a Doctorate Degree in Theology from the University of Wittenberg in 1594. In 1596, he became the minister at Unna in Westphalia. In 1601, he was elected chief pastor of St. Katherine's Church (Katharinenkirche) in Hamburg.