"Herr Gott, erhalt uns für" (#179)

This is the first hymn in a new section:  "Katechismus-Lieder" "Catechism Songs"

German text in the Gesangbuch:

1 Herr Gott, erhalt uns für und für

die reine Katechismuslehr,

der jungen einfältigen Welt

durch deinen Luther fürgestellt.

2 Daß wir lernen die zehn Gebot,

beweinen unsre Sünd und Noth

und doch an dich und deinen Sohn

gläuben in Geist erleuchtet schon.

3 Dich, unsern Vater, rufen an,

der allen helfen will und kann,

daß wir als Kinder nach der Tauf

christlich vollbringen unsern Lauf.

4 So jemand fällt, nicht liegen bleib,

sondern zur Beichte komm und gläube,

zur Stärkung nehm das Sacrament.

Amen, Gott geb ein selig End.

M. Ludwig Helmhold, 1577.

My prose translation:

1 Lord God, preserve for us forever

The pure teaching of the catechism,

Put forth by Your Luther

To the young, naïve world.

2 That we learn the Ten Commandments,

Lament our sin and distress,

And yet would believe in You and Your Son,

Enlightened already in the Spirit.

3 We call to You, our Father,

Who wants to and can help all

So that we as children after baptism

Christlike run our race.

4 If someone falls, do not remain lying

But rather come to confession and believe;

For strengthening, take the Sacrament.

Amen, may God give a blessed end.

M. Ludwig Helmhold, 1577.

I switched the last two lines of the first verse to get a smoother English translation.

I translated "vollbringen unsern Lauf" in the third verse as "run our race," as an echo of part of Hebrews 12:1 ("let us run with endurance the race that is set before us"), but there isn't as close a resemblance to this passage in my German New Testament ("laßt uns laufen mit Geduld in dem Kampf, der uns bestimmt ist").

This hymn appears as "Lord, Help Us Ever to Retain" in The Lutheran Hymnal (#288), Lutheran Worship (#477), and The Lutheran Service Book (#865).  In all of these, the hymn is paired with the tune "Herr Jesu Christ, mein's," but according to the Gesangbuch, the text is sung to "its own tune."