BLEST BE the God of Israel
Who saved us from the woes of hell,
And with great mercy visited
His people once who lay in dread.
2. His precious Son to us He sent
All wrath and anger to prevent,
And for His great deliv’rance now
His people glad before Him bow.
3. When hope was hidden from our view,
In David’s house, His servant true,
He raised salvation’s mighty horn
To comfort Christendom forlorn.
4. This on their lips so long ago
The holy prophets made us know,
As God instructed them to cry
How He would bring salvation nigh.
5. From foes’ despite and haters’ hands,
From those who rage like burning brands,—
He who has pow’r o’er Satan, grave,
And sin and death—our life shall save.
6. His heart with mercy’s fire was stirred
To speak a good and gracious word:
Upon His covenant He thought
That with our fathers once He wrought:
7. Fresh in His mind His oath He bore,
Which unto Abraham He swore,
To keep unto those hearts that heard
And to their offspring afterward:
8. To grant us by deliverance
From Satan, death and hell’s torments
That we might serve Him all our life,
Released from terror, sin, and strife,
9. Upright and pure on earth bestowed,
In manner pleasing unto God,
Not as by human mind devised,
Which works are vainly realized.
10. This name, O child, shall be thine own:
The Prophet of the Highest One,
The Master’s advent to declare,
His way to straighten and prepare,
11. Through God’s most tender mercy shown
To us poor men, in sin who groan,
For whom the Dayspring from on high,
The Gift and Fruit of love, drew nigh,
12. To lighten all in darkness wrapped
And in the shade of death entrapped,
That they may be the sons of light,
By virtue of His radiance bright:
13. Their feet the level ground to show,
And in the way of peace to go,
That all at last may come as one
In bliss before God’s golden throne.
Translation © Matthew Carver, 2008, 2011.
GERMAN
To comfort Christendom forlorn.
4. This on their lips so long ago
The holy prophets made us know,
As God instructed them to cry
How He would bring salvation nigh.
5. From foes’ despite and haters’ hands,
From those who rage like burning brands,—
He who has pow’r o’er Satan, grave,
And sin and death—our life shall save.
6. His heart with mercy’s fire was stirred
To speak a good and gracious word:
Upon His covenant He thought
That with our fathers once He wrought:
7. Fresh in His mind His oath He bore,
Which unto Abraham He swore,
To keep unto those hearts that heard
And to their offspring afterward:
8. To grant us by deliverance
From Satan, death and hell’s torments
That we might serve Him all our life,
Released from terror, sin, and strife,
9. Upright and pure on earth bestowed,
In manner pleasing unto God,
Not as by human mind devised,
Which works are vainly realized.
10. This name, O child, shall be thine own:
The Prophet of the Highest One,
The Master’s advent to declare,
His way to straighten and prepare,
11. Through God’s most tender mercy shown
To us poor men, in sin who groan,
For whom the Dayspring from on high,
The Gift and Fruit of love, drew nigh,
12. To lighten all in darkness wrapped
And in the shade of death entrapped,
That they may be the sons of light,
By virtue of His radiance bright:
13. Their feet the level ground to show,
And in the way of peace to go,
That all at last may come as one
In bliss before God’s golden throne.
Translation © Matthew Carver, 2008, 2011.
GERMAN
1. Gelobet sei Israels Gott,
der Herr, der sein Volk in der Not,
und da es gänzlich war verflucht,
mit großen Gnaden hat besucht.
2. Er hat uns seinen Sohn gesandt,
der allen Zorn ganz abgewandt,
und uns erlöset kräftiglich,
deß wird Israel freuen sich.
3. Da es mit uns war alles aus,
in seines Dieners Davids Haus,
hat er ein Horn der Seligkeit
gesetzt zum Trost der Christenheit.
4. Als uns vor Zeiten machte kund
der heiligen Propheten Mund,
dadurch er uns hat angemeldt,
er woll' uns retten als ein Held.
5. Der Feinde Trutz, des Hassers Hand,
ob sie für Zorn gleich sind entbrannt,
woll er uns brechen als der Mann,
der Tod und Teufel zwingen kann.
6. Hierzu hat ihn sein Herz bewegt,
das sich mit Gnad und Güte trägt:
er hat an seinen Bund gedacht,
vorlängst mit Abraham gemacht.
7. Wie auch an dieses, was er hat
geschworen ihm an Eides statt,
zu geben denen, die da sind
von ihm gezeugt auf Kindes Kind.
8. Auf daß, wenn wir erlöset sein
vom Teufel, Tod und Höllenpein,
ihm dieneten sein lebelang
ein jeder ohne Furcht und Zwang.
9. Gerecht und heilig in der Welt,
nach solcher Art, die ihm gefällt,
nicht wie es Menschenwitz erdenkt,
damit man sich vergebens kränkt.
10. Du Kindlein, du wirst ein Prophet
des Höchsten heißen, der da geht
vor seinem herren fein voran,
und macht ihm richtig seine Bahn.
11. Aus herzlicher Barmherzigkeit,
Kraft derer uns in unserm Leid
der Aufgang aus der Höh besucht,
das ist der Liebe Gab' und Frucht.
12. Auf daß, die er im Finstern findt,
und die im Todesschatten sind,
des Lichtes Kinder können sein,
durch seinen hellen Glanz und Schein.
13. Daß ihre Füße richtig stehn,
und auf dem Weg des Friedens gehn,
ja endlich allesammt zugleich
mit Freuden gehn in's Himmelreich.
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