Singet mit Freuden unſerm Gott

Here is my translation of the psalm paraphrase, “Singet mit Freuden unſerm Gott” (Cornelius Becker, d. 1604), based on Psalm LXXXI, Exultate Deo, with title “The Lord’s feast . . . To precent on the Hithith, Asaph” and melody assignment “Christ, der du bist der helle Tag.” Luther writes of the psalm,

It is a psalm of supplication a composed song that was sung and preached in the autumn on the Feast of Booths, to remind the people of the First Commandment, that God alone had brought them out of Egypt, and to call upon no other god. Howbeit they did not keep it, but every mouth and doctrine was full of idolatry, whenas their mouth was to have been filled with the true God, and to speak of Him only. And the psalm teaches us to believe and depend on Christ alone and to acclaim no works as righteousness before God. We are also to have our mouth filled by Christ alone, but we do not do it; everyone follows his own judgment and idol.

 

SING loudly to our God with joy,
Our strength when evil days annoy;
Unto the God of Jacob shout,
Take up a psalm with song devout.

2 Now let the timbrels sounded be,
The harp with pleasant melody,
Blow up the trumpet, hall’wing truths
On new-moon days and feasts of booths.

3 This statute was for Israel,
This law pleased Jacob’s God right well
This testimony God ordained
When He brought them from Egypt’s land.

4 They heard a language strange that day
When I removed their yoke away
And freed them from their burden sad,
Because of which no rest they had.

5 In trouble Thou didst call on Me
I answered and delivered Thee,
When o’er thee at the Red Sea’s shore
A tempest through the heavens tore.

6 At Meribah I made thee see
That I the Lord remain with thee,
Thy faith I proved, the rock I clave,
To thee hard rock her waters gave.

7 Hear, O my people Israel,
This witness to thy children tell:
There shall no strange god be in thee,
Thou shalt call only unto Me.

8 I am the Lord thy God, whose hand
Hath brought thee out of Egypt’s land.
Ope wide thy mouth and speak thy heart
And thy desires I will impart.

9 But sadly since the earliest day,
This people hears not what I say,
Its trust is not in Me, its Lord,
And Israel heeds not My Word.

10 I gave them up to their heart’s lust,
To follow that which most they trust,
In their own counsels to depart
And follow their deceiving heart.

11 Would that My people might obey
And Israel might walk My way,
Then I should soon preserve them too,
And all their enemies subdue.

12 No pow’r shall e’er My hand curtail
To make their adversaries fail;
All those who hate Me ever must
Find all their counsels turned to dust.

13 Then would they ever have endured,
Then would I have for them procured
The finest of the wheat for bread,
And from the rock with honey fed.

Translation © 2024 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Singet mit Freuden unſerm Gott,
Der unſer Stärk iſt in der Noth,
Jauchtzet dem Gott Jacob bekannt,
Und nembt das Pſalterſpiel zur Hand.

2  Die Paucken laſt erſchallen frey,
Auff Harffen lieblich Melodey,
Blaſt die Poſaun auffs allerbeſt,
Im Newmond und Laubhüttenfeſt.

3  Iſraels Volck die Weiſe helt,
Dem Gott Jakobs diß recht gefelt,
Diß Zeugnis Joſeph ward bekant,
Da er kam aus Egyptenland.

4  Ein frembde Sprach ſie hörten an,
Da ich das Joch von ihnen nam
Und macht ſie frey von ihrer Laſt,
Dafür ſie hatten keine Raſt.

5  Als in der Noth du ruffteſt mich,
Halff ich dir aus, erhörte dich,
Da über dich am Rothen Meer
Einfiel ein Wetter groß und ſchwer.

6  Am Hadderwaſſer wardſtu inn,
Daß Ich der HErr ſtets bey dir bin,
Dein Glauben ich verſuchet hab,
Der harte Fels dir Waſſer gab.

7  Hör mein Volck, Iſrael mich hör,
Diß Zeugnis deine Kinder lehr,
Du ſolt kein ander Götter han,
Allein mich ſoltu ruffen an.

8  Ich bin der HErr dein GOtt genannt,
Der dich führt aus Egyptenland,
Ruff mich an, was dein Hertz begehrt,
Das ſoltu von mir ſeyn gewehrt.

9  Aber es iſt mein alte Klag,
Diß Volck hört nicht, was ich ihm ſag,
Auff mich ſteht nicht ihr Zuverſicht,
Mein Wort Iſrael achtet nicht.

10  Drumb hab ich ſie gegeben hin
Nach ihres Hertzens eignem Sinn,
Daß ſie wandeln nach ihrem Rath,
Ihr Dünkel ſie betrogen hat.

11  Wolt mein Volck mir gehorſam ſeyn
Und auff meinn Wegen gehn herein,
So künt ich wohl in kurtzer Stund
Ihr Feinde dämpffen all zu Grund.

12  Mein Hand ſol unverkürtzet ſeyn,
Ihr Widrigen zu treiben ein,
Die mich haſſen zu jeder Zeit,
Den mußt ihr Anſchlag fehlen weit.

13  Ewig diß mein Volck bleiben ſolt,
Auffs beſte ich ſie ſpeiſen wollt
Mit Honig aus dem Felſen hart
Und mit Weitzen von beſter Art.