Herr, hilf! laß wohl gelingen

Here is my translation of the hymn for the Laying of a Cornerstone, “Herr, hilf! laß wohl gelingen” (probably F. Lochner, d. 1902), published in Lochner’s Liturgische Formulare (1895) and probably written during his time editing and publishing Liturgische Monatsschrift, of which Liturgische Formulare represents the culmination. Here, he provides the hymn as an alternative to “Nun danket alle Gott” (“Now thank we all our God”) after the Benediction closing the service of the Laying of a Cornerstone. The appointed melody is “Valet will ich dir geben.” The reference to Zechariah is noted in Liturgische Formulare and referenced in a later instance, when the first stanza hymn is quoted in a piece in the Synodical Conference missions magazine, Missions-Taube, commemorating the laying of the cornerstone for Immanuel College, Greensboro, N. C. (Note the picture and adjacent article concerning the engagement of new professor, Martin Lochner, at Greensboro, i.e., the son of the original editor of the Missions-Taube, i.e., Friedrich Lochner.)

 

HELP, Lord, success bestowing
On what is here begun!
Thy people joy in knowing
Thou art their Cornerstone.
The mind by doubt afflicted
Thy works would weigh and test;
But hearts by faith convicted,
in Thy great pow’r may rest.

On Thee the Church is founded,
In Thy great name alone
Let faith’s Amen be sounded
Upon this settled stone!
Grace, grace to it,* ye brothers!
The Lord will help to build;
In Him, our Head, we others
Shall find all worries stilled.

Almighty King of glory,
Lord Jesus, Son of God!
Here will Thy sacred story
Spread to the earth abroad!
Here wilt Thou give salvation,
Thy blessings here increase;
With Thee as the foundation
’Twill be Thy house of peace.

* And he (Zerubbabel) shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it! (Zech. 4:7).

Translation © 2021–2 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Herr, hilf, laß wohl gelingen,
Was hier begonnen ist;
Dein Volk kann fröhlich singen,
Weil du der Eckstein bist.
Der Zweifel wägt und zählet
Gar ängstiglich dein Tun;
Der Glaube, mutbeseelet,
darf in der Allmacht ruhn.

2 In deinem großen Namen,
der deine Kirche trägt,
sei heut ein gläubig Amen
auf diesen Stein gelegt.
Glück zu, Glück zu,* ihr Brüder,
der Herr wird helfen baun.
Wie, sollten denn die Glieder
Dem Haupte nicht vertraun?

(Segen)
3. Ja, König aller Ehren,
Herr Jesu, Gottes Sohn!
Du wirst dein Reich hier mehren,
der Glaube sieht es schon:
Dein Heil wird hier verkündet,
Ins Haus zieht Segen ein,
Es wird, auf dich gegründet,
ein Friedenstempel sein.

*Und er (Serubabel) soll ausführen den ersten Stein, daß man rufen wird: Glück zu, Glück zu! Sach. 4, 9.