Nikolaus was the son of Ge­org Sel­neck­er, pro­to­nar­i­us to the Nürn­berg ma­gis­tra­cy. In 1536, the fam­i­ly moved to Nürn­berg. At age 12, Ni­ko­laus be­came or­gan­ist at the Kai­ser­burg cha­pel in Nürn­berg. In 1550, he went to the Un­i­ver­si­ty of Wit­ten­berg, where he be­came a fav­or­ite pu­pil of Phil­iipp Me­lanch­thon. He grad­u­at­ed MA in 1554, and sub­se­quent­ly lec­tured as a pri­vat­do­cent, some­times to 200 stu­dents. At the end of 1557, he was ap­point­ed sec­ond court preach­er at Dres­den, and tu­tor to the heir ap­par­ent Prince Alex­an­der, al­so sup­er­vis­ing the ed­u­ca­tion of the choir boys of the roy­al cha­pel. He was or­dained at Wit­ten­berg on Jan­u­a­ry 6, 1558.

Sources

Hymns

1. Ach bleib bei uns, Herr Je­su Christ
   • Lord Jesus Christ, with Us Abide
   • Now Cheer Our Hearts
2. Christus der wahre Gottes Sohn
3. Hilf, Herr, mein Gott, in dieser Noth
4. Lass mich dein sein und bleiben
   • Let Me Be Thine Forever
5. O Herre Gott, in meiner Not
   • O Lord, My God, I Cry to Thee
6. Wir danken dir, Herr Jesu Christ
7. Wir danken dir, o treuer Gott
   • O Faithful God, Thanks Be to Thee

Music

1. Nun Lasst Uns Gott den Herren