"Ehr sei dem Vater &c., daß.." (#11)

German text in the Gesangbuch:

Ehr sei dem Vater und dem Sohn

und auch dem Heilgen Geiste,
als es im Anfang war und nun,

der uns sein Gnade leiste,
daß wir auf diesem Jammerthal
von Herzen scheuen überall
der Welt gottloses Wesen,
und streben nach der neuen Art,
dazu der Mensch gebildet ward;
wer das begehrt, sprech: Amen.

Straßburger Gesangbüchlein, 1547.

My prose translation:

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and also to the Holy Ghost,
As it was in the beginning and now,

He gives us His mercy
That we in this misery
Of hearts avoid everywhere
The world of godless nature,
And aspire to the new way
To which man was formed:
He who desires this, say: Amen.

Strasburg Little Songbook, 1547.

Above the text in the Gesangbuch, there's a note that this is sung to the melody "An Wasserflüssen Babylon."  As far as I can tell, this text isn't present in The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship, or The Lutheran Service Book, but the tune "An Wasserflüssen Babylon" is.  Here's the arrangement from The Lutheran Hymnal:

"Nun jauchzt dem Herren" (#10)

German text in the Gesangbuch:

Nun jauchzt dem Herren alle Welt,

kommt her, zu seinem Dienst euch stellt,

kommt mit Frohlocken, säumet nicht,

kommt vor sein heilig Angesicht.

Erkennt, daß Gott ist unser Herr,

der uns erschaffen ihm zu Ehr,

und nicht wir selbst; durch Gottes Gnad

ein jeder Mensch sein Leben hat.

Er hat uns ferner wohl bedacht,

und uns zu seinem Volk gemacht,

zu Schafen, die er ist bereit

zu führen stets auf grüner Weid.

Ihr, die ihr bei ihm wollet sein,

kommt, geht zu seinen Thoren ein

mit Loben durch der Psalmen Klang,

zu seinem Vorhof mit Gesang.

Dankt unserm Gott, lobsinget ihm,

lobsinget ihm mit lauter Stimm,

lobsingt und danket allesamt;

Gott loben, das ist unser Amt.

Er ist voll Güt und Freundlichkeit,

voll Treu und Lieb zu jeder Zeit,

sein Gnade währet dort und hier

und seine Wahrheit für und für.

Gott Vater in dem höchsten Thron,

und Jesus Christ sein einger Sohn,

samt Gott dem werthen Heilgen Geist

sei nun und immerbar gepreist.

Ps. 100

Bearbeitet durch David Denicke oder J. Gesenius, 1646.

My prose translation:

Now shout for joy to the Lord, all the world,

Come here, place yourselves in His service,

Come with rejoicing; tarry not,

Come before His holy face.

See that God is our Lord,

Who created us for His glory

And not we ourselves; through God's mercy

Every man has his life.

Further, He has well considered us

And made us His people,

Sheep whom He is ready

To lead continually on green pasture.

You, who want to be with Him,

Come, go to His gates

With praise through the sound of the Psalms,

To His forecourt with singing.

Thank our God, sing praise to Him,

Sing praise to Him with a loud voice,

Sing praise and thank [Him] all together;

To praise God, that is our duty.

He is full of goodness and friendliness,

Full of faithfulness and love in every time

His mercy preserves here and there

And His truth forever.

God the Father on the highest throne,

And Jesus Christ His only Son,

Together with God the worthy Holy Ghost

Be now and forever praised.

Psalm 100

Adapted by David Denicke or J. Gesenius, 1646.

Above the text in the Gesangbuch, there's a note that this is sung to the melody "Herr Gott, dich loben alle."  As far as I can tell, however, neither this text nor that tune appear in The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship, or The Lutheran Service Book.

"Nun Gott Lob, es ist vollbr." (#9)

German text in the Gesangbuch:

Nun Gott Lob, es ist vollbracht

Singen, Beten, Lehren, Hören;

Gott hat alles wohl gemacht,

drum laßt uns sein Lob vermehren.

Unser Gott sei hochgepreiset,

daß er uns so wohl gespeistet.

Weil der Gottesdienst ist aus,

und uns mitgetheilt der Segen,

so gehn wir mit Freud nach Haus,

wandeln sein auf Gottes Wegen.

Gottes Geist uns ferner leite

und uns alle wohl bereite.

Unsern Ausgang segne Gott,

unsern Eingang gleichermaßen;

segne unser täglich Brod,

segne unser Thun und Lassen;

segne uns mit selgem Sterben

und mach uns zu Himmelserben.

M. Hartmann Schenk, um 1680.

My prose translation:

Praise now to God; it is done

Singing, praying, teaching, hearing;

God has made everything well

Therefore let us increase His praise.

Our God be highly praised

That He has fed us so well.

Since the church service is over,

And the benediction imparted to us

So we go home with joy,

Walking finely on God's ways.

God's Spirit leads us further

And prepares us all well.

God bless our going out,

And also our going in;

Bless our daily bread,

Bless our activities;

Bless us with blessed death

And make us as Heaven's heirs.

M. Hartmann Schenk, around 1680.

I translated "Unsern Ausgang segne Gott, / unsern Eingang gleichermaßen" ("God bless our going out, / And also our coming in") in such a way to reflect Psalm 121:8, which this seems to be drawn from:  "Der HERR behüte deinen Ausgang und Eingang von nun an bis in Ewigkeit" ("The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.").

This hymn appears as "Now, the Hour of Worship O'er" (#45) in The Lutheran Hymnal.  Above the text in the Gesangbuch, there's a note that it's sung to the melody "Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier."  Here's the arrangement from The Lutheran Hymnal:

"Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier" (#8)

German text from the Gesangbuch:

Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier,

dich und dein Wort anzuhören;

lenke sinnen und Begier

auf die süßen Himmelslehren,

daß die Herzen von der Erden

ganz zu dir gezogen werden.

Unser Wissen und Verstand

ist mit Finsterniß umhüllet,

wo nicht deines Geistes Hand

uns mit hellem Licht erfüllet:

gutes Denken, gutes Dichten,

mußt du selbst in uns verrichten.

O du Glanz der Herrlichkeit,

Licht vom Licht aus Gott geboren,

mach uns allesamt bereit,

öffne Herzen, Mund und Ohren:

unser Bitten, Flehn und Singen

laß, Herr Jesu, wohl gelingen.

Vater, Sohn, Heiliger Geist,

dir sei ewig Preise und Ehre,

tröst die Herzen allermeist

mit dem Wort der reinen Lehre

hier in diesen Sterblichkeiten,

bis wir dort dein Lob ausbreiten.

T. Clausnitzer, 1671.

My prose translation:

Dear Jesus, we are here

To listen to You and Your word;

Guide senses and desire

To the sweet lesson of Heaven

That the hearts from the earth

Will be drawn completely to You.

Our knowledge and understanding

Is shrouded in darkness

Where the hand of Your Spirit does not

Fill us with bright light:

Good thought, good writing,

You Yourself must work in us.

O You brilliance of splendor,

Light of light born out of God,

Make us all ready,

Open head, mouth, and ears:

Our interceding, begging, and singing

Let well succeed, Lord Jesus.

Father, Son, Holy Ghost,

To You be praise and honor eternally,

Comfort the hearts most of all

With the word of pure doctrine

Here in this mortality,

Until we extend Your praise there.

The phrase "Light of light" ("Licht vom Licht") seems to be taken from the Nicene Creed.

"Born out of God" is an accurate translation for "aus Gott geboren," but I'm not sure it's the best translation from a theological standpoint.

In the lines "Vater, Sohn, Heiliger Geist, / dir sei ewig Preise und Ehre," there's a plural vocative for the figures of the Trinity ("Vater, Sohn, Heiliger Geist" "Father, Son, Holy Ghost"), but a singular pronoun ("dir" "to You") referring to them collectively.

This hymn appears as "Blessed Jesus, at Thy Word" in The Lutheran Hymnal (#16), "Dearest Jesus, at Your Word" in Lutheran Worship (#202), and "Blessed Jesus, at Your Word" in The Lutheran Service Book (#904).  It's sung to its own melody.  Here's the arrangement from The Lutheran Hymnal:

"Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigk." (#7)

German text in the Gesangbuch:

Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit,

groß ist dein Barmherzigkeit,

aller Ding ein Schöpfer und Regierer.

Eleison. :,:

Christe, aller Welt Trost,

uns Sünder allein du hast erlöst.

O Jesu, Gottes Sohn,

unser Mittler bist in dem höchsten Thron;

zu dir schreien wir aus Herzensbegier.

Eleison. :,:

Kyrie, Gott Heiliger Geist,

tröst, stärk uns im Glauben allermeist,

daß wir am letzten End

fröhlich abscheiden aus diesem Elend.

Eleison. :,:

Johann Spangenberg, 1545.

My prose translation:

Kyrie, God Father in eternity

Great is Your loving-kindness,

Of all things Creator and Ruler.

Eleison.  :,:

Christ, comfort of all the world

You alone have redeemed us sinners

O Jesus, Son of God,

You are our mediator on the highest throne;

To You we cry out of eager hearts.

Eleison. :,:

Kyrie, God Holy Ghost,

Most of all, comfort, strength us in the faith,

That at the last end, we happily leave out of this misery.

Eleison. :,:

This hymn appears as "Kyrie, God Father in Heaven Above" in The Lutheran Hymnal (#6), "Kyrie, God Father" in Lutheran Worship (#209), and "Kyrie! God, Father" in The Lutheran Service Book (#942).  Judging by how the text appears in these hymnals, the :,: indicates a repetition.  "Eleison" occurs twice in a row in each hymnal.

While translating this hymn, I ran into the word "Barmherzigkeit" again.  I'd suspected before that this is the German word for the Hebrew חֶסֶד, but I finally lookt it up and confirmed this.

Above the text in the Gesangbuch, there's a note:  "In eigener Melodie."  "In its own melody."  Here's the arrangement from The Lutheran Hymnal:

"Heut ist des Herren Ruhetag" (#6)

German text in the Gesangbuch:

Heut ist des Herren Ruhetag,

vergesset aller Sorg und Plag,

verhindert euch mit Arbeit nicht,

kommt vor des Höchsten Angesicht.

Halleluja!

Trat her und fallt auf eure Knie

vor Gottes Majestät allhie.

Es ist sein Heiligthum und Haus,

wer Sünde liebt, gehört hinaus.

Halleluja!

Ganz unerträglich ist sein Grimm,

doch hört er gern der Armen Stimm;

deswegen lobt ihn allesamt,

das ist der Christen rechtes Amt.

Halleluja!

Rühmt unsers Gottes Meisterthat,

da er uns nichts erschaffen hat

den Himmel und die ganze welt,

und was dieselbe in sich hält.

Halleluja!

Und als er sie genug geziert,

hat er den Menschen drauf formirt,

und ihn nach seinem Ebenbild

mit weisheit und Verstand erfüllt.

Halleluja!

Erkennt mit dankbarem Gemüth,

wie er allein durch seine Güt

uns täglich schützet und ernährt

und manches Unglück von uns kehrt.

Halleluja!

Denkt auch, daß heut geschehen ist

die Auferstehung Jesu Christ,

dadurch die wahre freudigheit

in aller Noth uns ist bereit.

Halleluja!

Der von den Juden ward veracht,

mit Mördern schändlich umgebracht,

daß seine Lehr hält kurzen Lauf,

und mit ihm müßte hören auf.

Halleluja!

Er ist erstanden offenbar,

und hat erfreut sein kleine Schar,

die bis aus Ende ihn geliebt

und seinethalben war betrübt.

Halleluja!

Leibhaftig er sich ihnen wies,

sich sehen, hörn und fühlen ließ,

damit versichert war ihr Sinn

des Todes Macht sei nun dahin.

Halleluja!

Drum wollen wir begehn mit Fleiß

den Tag nach rechter Christen Weis;

wir wollen aufthun unsern Mund,

und danken dir von Herzensgrund.

Halleluja!

O Gott, der du den Erdenkreis

erschaffen hast zu deinem Preis,

uns auch bewahrt so manches Jahr

in vieler Trübsal und Gefahr.

Halleluja!

Hilf, daß wir alle deine Werk,

voll Weisheit, Güte, Macht und Stärk,

erkennen und je mehr und mehr

ausbreiten deines Namens Ehr.

Halleluja!

O liebster Heiland, Jesu Christ,

der du vom Tod erstanden bist,

richt unsre Herzen auf zu dir,

daß sich der Sündenschlaf verlier.

Halleluja!

Big deiner Auferstehung Kraft,

daß dieser Trost ja bei uns hast,

daß wir uns drauf verlassen fest,

wenn uns nun alle Welt verläßt.

Halleluja!

O Heilger Geist, laß uns den Wort

so hören heut und immerfort,

in uns durch deine Lehr

Glaub, Lieb und Hoffnung reichlich mehr.

Halleluja!

Erleuchte uns, du wahres Licht,

entzeuch uns deine Gnade nicht,

all unser Thun auch so regier,

daß wir Gott preisen für und für.

Halleluja!

Gott Vater, Sohn und Geist, verleih,

daß dieser Tag dir heilig sei,

wir auch die Sabbathsruh und Freud

erlangen drauf in Ewigkeit.

Halleluja!

Hannoversches Gesangb., 1646.

My prose translation:

Today is the Lord's day of rest,

Forget all worry and plague,

Do not hinder yourselves with work,

Come before the face of the Most High.

Hallelujah!

Walk here and fall on your knees

Before God's majesty here.

It is His shrine and house

Who loves sin belongs outside.

Hallelujah!

Quite unbearable is His wrath,

Yet He gladly hears the voice of the poor;

Therefore praise Him, all of you,

That is the proper duty of the Christian.

Hallelujah!

Praise the master work of our God,

That out of nothing He has made

The heavens and the whole world

And that which sustains the same.

Hallelujah!

And when He has adorned it enough,

He formed man on it,

And him after His image

Filled with wisdom and understanding.

Hallelujah!

Recognize with thankful heart

How He through His grace alone

Daily protects and supports us,

And turns aside many disasters from us.

Hallelujah!

Think also that to-day has happened

The resurrection of Jesus Christ

Through which the true joy

In all need is ready for us.

Hallelujah!

He by the Jews would be scorned,

Killed shamefully with murderers,

That His teaching would have a short course

And would have to end with Him.
Hallelujah!

He is clearly arisen

And has gladdened His little flock,

Who loved Him until the end

And was grieved for His sake.

Hallelujah!

Living, He showed Himself to them,

Let Himself be seen, heard, and felt

So that their sense was assured

The power of death may be over now.

Hallelujah!

Therefore we want to use with diligence

The day in true Christian fashion;

We want to open our mouths,

And thank You from the bottom of our hearts.

Hallelujah!

O God, You who created

The whole earth for Your praise

Preserved us also so many years

In much misery and danger.
Hallelujah!

Help that we all Your work,

Full of wisdom, grace, might, and strength

Recognize and more and more

Extend the glory of Your name.

Hallelujah!

O dear Savior, Jesus Christ,

You who from death is risen,

Set our hearts on You

That the sleep of sin is lost.

Hallelujah!

Give strength to Your resurrection,

That we indeed have this comfort with us,

That we rely on it firmly

When now all the world fails us.

Hallelujah!

O Holy Ghost, let us Your word

So hear to-day and continually

That in us through Your teaching

Faith, love, and hope be plentiful.

Hallelujah!

Enlighten us, You true Light,

Do not take Your mercy from us,

All our deeds also so govern,

That we praise God forever.

Hallelujah!

God Father, Son, and [Holy] Ghost, grant

That this day be holy to You,

[That] we also the Sabbath rest and joy

Reach afterwards in eternity.

Hallelujah!

As far as I can tell, this hymn isn't present in The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship, or The Lutheran Service Book.

In the line "wie er allein durch seine Güt," it's ambiguous whether "allein" is modifying "er" or "durch seine Güt."  "How He alone through his grace" or "How He through His grace alone."  I went with the second reading, mostly because it echoes the explanation to the First Article of the Apostles' Creed in Luther's Small Catechism:  "All this He does only out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me."

I try to keep the line breaks where they are, but I had to do a bit of shuffling for "O Gott, der du den Erdenkreis / erschaffen hast zu deinem Preis."  "O God, You who the whole earth / Created for Your praise" makes it sound like the earth is what did the creating.  I moved some words around to get "O God, You who created / The whole earth for Your praise."

There's a nice feature in the lines "daß wir uns drauf verlassen fest, / wenn uns nun alle Welt verläßt" ("That we rely on it firmly / When now all the world fails us").  The same verb (verlassen) is in both lines, but in the first (with the reflexive pronoun "uns" and the preposition "auf"), it has the meaning "to rely on," and in the second (where the verb appears just by itself), it has the meaning "to leave," "to desert," or "to fail."  That the same verb is used but with opposite meanings in these different contexts illustrates the contrast between the surety of faith and the fickleness of the world.

The lines "That in us through Your teaching / Faith, love, and hope be plentiful" refer to 1 Corinthians 13:13:  "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

"Herr, öffne mir die" (#5)

German text in the Gesangbuch:

Herr, öffne mir die Herzensthür,

zeuch mein Herz durch dein Wort zu dir,

laß mich dein Wort bewahren rein,

laß mich dein Kind und Erbe sein.

Dein Wort bewegt des Herzens Grund,

dein Wort macht Leib und Seel gesund,

dein Wort ist, das mein Herz erfreut,

dein Wort gibt Trost und Seligkeit

Ehr sei dem Vater und dem Sohn,

dem Heilgen Geist in einem Thron,

der heiligen Dreieinigkeit

sei Lob und Preis in Ewigkeit.

D. J. Olearius, 1671.

There was only one word I couldn't find a translation for:

Lord, open for me the heart's door

[zeuch] my heart to you through Your Word,

Let Your Word keep me pure,

Let me be Your child and heir.

Your Word moves the foundations of my heart,

Your Word makes body and soul healthy,

Your Word is that which gladdens my heart,

Your Word gives comfort and salvation.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son,

To the Holy Ghost on one throne,

To the holy Trinity

Be honor and praise for eternity.

The second verse exhibits anaphora (the repeated "Your Word"), and this illustrates the writer's focus on God's Word.  The third line bears some resemblance to the first half of Psalm 19:8:  "The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart."  In the German Psalter, this is verse 9:  "Die Befehle des HERRN sind richtig und erfreuen das Herz."

This hymn appears as "Lord, Open Thou My Heart to Hear" in The Lutheran Hymnal (#5) and as "Lord, Open Now My Heart to Hear" in Lutheran Worship (#197) and The Lutheran Service Book (#908).

Above the text in the Gesangbuch, there's a note that this is sung to the tune "Erhalt uns, Herr," and this is the tune it's paired with in each of the hymnals listed above.  Here's the arrangement from The Lutheran Hymnal:

"Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu" (#4)

German text from the Gesangbuch:

Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend,

dein Heilgen Geist du zu uns send,

mit Hilf und Gnad er uns regier

und uns den Weg zur Wahrheit führ.

Thu auf den Mund zum Lobe dein,

bereit das Herz zur Andacht fein,

den Glauben mehr, stärk den Verstand,

daß uns dein Name werd wohl bekannt.

Bis wir singen mit Gottes Heer:

Heilig, heilig ist Gott, der Herr!

und schauen dich von Angesicht

in ewger Freud und selgem Licht.

Ehr sei dem Vater und dem Sohn,

dem Heilgen Geist in einem Thron,

der heiligen Dreieinigkeit

sei Lob und Preis in Ewigkeit.

Wilhelm II., Herzog zu Sachsen-Weimar, 1638.

My prose translation:

Lord Jesus Christ, turn to us,

Send Your Holy Ghost to us,

May he govern us with help and mercy

And lead us to the way to truth.

Open my mouth to Your praise,

Prepare the heart for fine devotion,

Increase faith, strengthen understanding

That Your Name will be well confessed by us.

Until we sing with God's host:

Holy, holy is God, the Lord!
And see You face to face

In eternal joy and blessed light.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son,

To the Holy Ghost on one throne,

To the holy Trinity

Be honor and praise for eternity.

Wilhelm II, Duke of Sachsen-Weimar, 1638.

This hymn appears as "Lord Jesus Christ, Be Present Now" in The Lutheran Hymnal (#3), Lutheran Worship (#201), and The Lutheran Service Book (#902).  Here's the tune from The Lutheran Hymnal.  This was early in my project of recording all of the tunes, though, so it's a bit rough.

"Thu auf den Mund zum Lobe dein" ("Open my mouth to Your praise") seems to come from Psalm 51:15:  "O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise."  In the German Psalter, the versification is a bit different, so this is verse 17:  "Herr, tu meine Lippen auf, daß mein Mund deinen Ruhm verkündige."

"Und schauen dich von Angesicht" ("And see You face to face") seems to refer to 1 Corinthians 13:12:  "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known."  "Wir sehen jetzt durch einen Spiegel ein dunkles Bild; dann aber von Angesicht zu Angesicht.  Jetzt erkenne ich stückweise; dann aber werde ich erkennen, wie ich erkannt bin."

I don't know if this is significant, but the last verse has a chiastic structure:

Glory be

to the Father and to the Son, / To the Holy Ghost on one throne,

To the holy Trinity

Be honor and praise for eternity.

"Amen! wir habn gehöret" (#3)

German text in the Gesangbuch:

Amen! wir habn gehöret,

was uns Gott hat gelehret,

der Heilge Geist von oben :,: :,:

versiegl es in uns, Amen. :,:

Amen! Gott sei gepreiset,

der Geist auf Christum weiset,

der helf uns allzusammen :,: :,:

ins ewge Leben, Amen. :,:

Um 1600.

My prose translation:

Amen! we have heard,

What God has taught us,

The Holy Ghost from above :,: :,:

Seal it in us, Amen. :,:

Amen! God be praised,

The Spirit shows the way to Christ,

Who helps us altogether :,: :,:

Into eternal life, Amen. :,:

Around 1600

I don't know what :,: indicates.

As far as I can tell, this text isn't present in The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship, or The Lutheran Service Book.

"Ach, bleib mit deiner Gnade" (#2)

German text from the Gesangbuch:

Ach, bleib mit deiner Gnade bei uns, Herr Jesu Christ,

daß uns hinfort nicht schade des bösen Feindes List.

Ach, bleib mit deinem Worte bei uns, Erlöser werth,

daß uns beid hier und dorte sei Güt und Heil beschert.

Ach, bleib mit deinem Glanze bei uns, du werthes Licht,

den Wahrheit uns umschanze, damit wir irren nicht.

Ach, bleib mit deinem Segen bei uns, o reicher Herr,

dein Gnad und alls Vermögen in uns reichlich vermehr.

Ach, bleib mit deinem Schutz bei uns, du starker Held,

daß uns der Feind nicht trutze, noch fäll die böse Welt.

Ach, bleib mit deiner Treuer bei uns, heir Herr und Gott!

Bestänigkeit verleihe, hilf uns aus aller Noth.

Dr. Josua Stegman, 1632.

There was only one word I had difficulties with:

Oh, stay with us with Your mercy, Lord Jesus Christ,

That the cunning of the evil foe does not harm us.

Oh, stay with us with Your Word, dear Redeemer,

That both here and there we may be blessed with grace and salvation.

Oh, stay with us with Your splendor, You dear Light,

Surround us with Your truth, with it we do not go wrong.

Oh, stay with us with Your blessing, O rich Lord,

Plentifully increase Your mercy and all power in us.

Oh, stay with us with Your protection, You strong champion,

That the enemy nor the evil world [trutze] us.

Oh, stay with us with Your faithfulness, my Lord and God!

Grant perseverance, help us out of all distress.

This text appears as "Abide, O Dearest Jesus" in The Lutheran Hymnal (#53) and in The Lutheran Service Book (#919) and as "Abide with Us, Our Savior" in Lutheran Worship (#287).  Instead of "abide," I translated "bleib" more prosaically as "stay."

That each stanza begins with "Ach, bleib... bei uns..." is an instance of the rhetorical device anaphora.  "My Lord and God!" in the last verse seems to be a reference to Thomas in John 20:28.

Above the text in the Gesangbuch, there's a note:  "In eigener Melodie.  Oder:  Christus, der ist mein Leben."  "In its own melody.  Or:  Christ, who is my life."  In each of the three hymnals noted above, this text is paired with the alternate tune "Christus, der ist mein Leben."

"Allein Gott in der Höh sei" (#1)

German text from the Gesangbuch:

Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr

und Dank für seine Gnade,
darum daß nun und nimmermehr

uns rühren kann kein Schade;
ein Wohlgefalln Gott an uns hat,
nun ist groß Fried ohn Unterlaß,
all Fehd hat nun ein Ende.

Wir loben, preisn, anbeten dich,

für deine Ehr wir danken,
daß du, Gott Vater, ewiglich

regierst ohn alles Wanken;
ganz ungemessn ist deine Macht,
fort g'schicht, was dein Will hat bedacht;
wohl uns des seinen Herren!

O Jesu Christ! Sohn eingeborn

deines himmlischen Vaters,
Versöhner der, die warn verlorn,

du Stiller unsers Haders;
Lamm Gottes, heilger Herr und Gott,
nimm an die Bitt von unsrer Noth,
erbarm dich unser aller!

O Heilger Geist, du höchstes Gut,

du allerheilsamst Tröster,
fürs Teufels G'walt fortan behüt,

die Jesus Christ erlöset
durch große Martr und bittern Tod,
abwend all unsern Jammr und Noth;
darzu wir uns verlassen.

Nikolaus Decius, (?) 1529.

I had a bit of trouble translating some phrases, and because I didn't want to include an erroneous translation, I simply put the German in brackets and italics:

To God alone in the highest be honor

And thanks for his mercy

That now and forevermore no harm can touch us

God has [given] us a satisfaction

Now there is great peace unceasingly

All feud now has an end.

We praise, extol, worship You;

For Your honor we thank [You]

That You, God Father, eternally

Reign without any wavering;

Quite unmeasured in Your might

[Fort g'schicht] what Your will has considered;

[Wohl uns des feinen Herren!]

O Jesus Christ!  Only-begotten son

Of Your heavenly Father,

Reconciler of those who were lost,

You calmer of our quarrelling;

Lamb of God, holy Lord and God,

Accept the petition of our need,

Have pity on us all!

O Holy God, You highest Good,

You all-salutary comforter,

[Fürs Teufels G'walt fortan behüt]

That Jesus Christ redeems

Through great torment and bitter death,

Turn away all of our misery and need;

On that we depend.

This hymn appears as "All Glory Be to God on High" in The Lutheran Hymnal (#237), Lutheran Worship (#215), and The Lutheran Service Book (#947).  Each hymnal has a different translation.

In my recordings, I haven't gotten to #237 in The Lutheran Hymnal yet, but the tune "Allein Gott in der Höh'" is also used for #33 ("The Lord Hath Helped Me Hitherto") and #110 ("Across the Sky the Shades of Night").

Revival

From October 2019 to January 2020, I workt diligently on translating the Gesangbuch.  I took a break in February, but when I pickt it up again in March, I lasted little more than a week before giving up indefinitely.

A couple weeks ago, I listened to an episode of Sharper Iron on KFUO in which Dr. Jastram mentioned how prayers in older hymnals have a different perspective on suffering from what is commonly encountered now.  This made me curious about the tenor of the Gesangbuch, so I turned my attention to it again.

I had translated a couple collects (and many antiphons), but upon looking at the book again and starting a new section, I found that most of the book is hymn texts.  (In hindsight, this should have been obvious, considering the title.)  Initially, they were unrecognizable as such because they're shorn of their musical accompaniment and not formatted as I would have expected.

Not only did this discovery renew my interest in translating the book, but it also provided me - finally! - with a structure for this blog.  From now on, I'm going to try to publish a post a week.  Each post will contain the original German text from the Gesangbuch, my prose translation, and a note about whether the hymn appears in The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship, and/or The Lutheran Service Book.  Occasionally, I may also include some other comments and even a recording of the tune to which the hymn is sung (I've been recording hymn tunes from The Lutheran Hymnal for over four years now, and about six months ago, I started making my way through Georg Philipp Telemann's Fast allgemeines Evangelisch-Musicalisches Lieder-Buch).