Richt mich, Herr Gott, führ mir mein Sach

Here is my translation of the psalm paraphrase, “Richt mich, Herr Gott, führ mir mein Sach” (Burkard Waldis, d. 1556), based on Psalm XLIII, Judica me Deus, with title “A supplication that God would let His Word return to His church.” A note after the beginning of the doxological stanza marked (¶) refers to that given in the foregoing paraphrase for Psalm XLII, of the same meter (847.847.827.827), but here a different G-Dorian melody likewise by Waldis. The similarities of meter and mode may reflect the intrinsic connection of the two psalms, and the fact that they are sometimes seen as one. Waldis in this way thoughtfully allows for both to be sung together to one or the other melody. Zahn interprets the slur over Leu- in the bar a little differently, though perhaps his version agrees also with that in Heugel’s tenor line, whereas the book has seems to have three notes on ti- and only one each on -gen and Leu-.

 

JUDGE me, O God, and plead my cause,
Uphold Thy laws,
Against the race o’erweening,
Deliver me from all their fraud,
O Lord my God,
Who twist Thy Word and meaning.
Thou art my God, my strength and might,
My Light:
Cast not away Thy creature,
When foes in all unrighteousness
Oppress
Thy Word and its true teacher!

2 Send me Thy light and truth with speed,
And thither lead,
Where Thy Word ever soundeth,
And give me for my mournful grief
Joy and relief,
Till Thy praise more aboundeth.
Because Thou art my heart’s delight,
No fright
Of foes shall me be harming;
I will recall, as psalt’ries play
Alway
Thy praises ever charming.

3 Alas, my soul, what aileth thee
So fretfully,
My heart, what makes thee fearful?
Abide thou yet a little hour,
God’s pow’r
Is sure to make thee cheerful.
I know the Lord shall bring some boon
Right soon,
My face with light imbuing.
Therefore my thanks to Him I will
Give still,
His praises e’er renewing.

¶ O God the Father, grant that we
To Thee may be
Forever firmly cleaving,
And Thee, in Thy beloved Son,
Our Hope alone,
Desire with heart believing;
Thy Spirit keep us in this grace,
Who place
Our trust in His defending;
So may we keep all Thou dost say
That Day
And stand in faith unbending!

Translation © 2024 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Richt mich, Herr Got, für mir mein sach,
Und gibs nit nach,
Den hoffertigen leuten,
Errett mich von jr falschen leer,
O Got mein herr,
Die dein wort fälschlich deuten,
Du bist mein got, mein macht und sterck,
Dein werck
Laß nit so gar verstossen,
Wann mich der feind in unglück brengt,
Und drengt
Mit seinen bundgenossen.

2 Send mir dein liecht, und dein warheyt,
Mich dahin leyt
Da ich dein wort mög hören,
Auff das verwandelt werd mein leyd,
In wonn und freud,
Deinn lob und preiß zu mehren,
Weil du meins hertzenfreude bist,
Kein list
Der feinde mich mag krencken,
Mit harpffen und auff seytenspil
Stedts wil
Ich deines lobs gedencken.

3 Ach meine seel, was krenckstu mich
So ängstiglich,
Und machst mein hertzen bange,
Verzeuch doch noch ein kleine weil,
Zu sehr nit eil,
Und laß dich nit verlangen,
Ich weyß der HERR wirt helffen mir
Gar schir,
Mein antlitz gar erfrewen,
So wil ich dann mein leben lang
Mit danck
Sein lob allzeit vernewen.

¶ Das gib Got Vatter alle zeit, &c.
Wie im nechsten psalmen hievor.

[¶ Das gib Got Vatter allezeit
Mit gnad und freud,
Daß wir stedts an dir hangen:
Nach dir in deinem lieben Son,
Dem heyland fron,
Hertziglich lan verlangen,
Dein Geyst an solcher gnad erhalt,
Und unser walt,
Wann uns die feind verklagen,
Dann laß uns an deins worts zusag
Am jüngsten tag
Bestehn, und nit verzagen.]