Gott und Vater! nimm jetzund

Here is my translation of the Baptism hymn, “Gott und Vater! nimm jetzund” (? Johann Jacob Spreng, d. 1768), as it appears in Ev.-Luth. Gesangbuch #288. Fischer says: “The hymn appears, apparently for the first time, in the Lunenburg hymnal 1767; cf. J. D. Sarnighausen’s . . . hymnal (Hanover, 1855), p. 171. Obviously, it is modeled after Schmolck’s Baptism hymn, ‘Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier.’ Stanzas 1-2 correspond to stanzas 3-4 of that hymn, and st. 3 a freely composed addition.” Early variants from a Bern hymnal of 1768 are noted in square brackets, which to some extent further distinguish the text from Schmolck’s. However, these quickly disappear in subsequent hymnals. The appointed melody is “Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier.”

GOD and Father, now receive
From our arms this child so precious;
In Thy cov’nant let him cleave,
Show him mercy and be gracious;
Let him, all his days appointed,
Prove that he’s Thy child anointed.

2 From all sin with Thy dear blood,
Faithful Jesus, kindly cleanse him, […early cleanse him,]
In Thy blest baptismal flood,
Lift the inborn curse that stains him, [Lift all ancient…]
Let Thy love to him grow dearer,
And his life to Thine grow nearer.

3 And Thou precious Holy Ghost!
Grant to him Thy gracious powers,
Work (as is Thy cov’nant’s boast)
Till salvation’s virtue flowers:
That in Jesus’ body ever [In the body of the Savior]
He may be a living member. [Let him be a member ever.]

Translation © 2022 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Gott und Vater! nimm jetzund
dieses Kind von unsern Armen. [dies dein Kind…]
Nimm es auf in deinen Bund, [es gehört in…]
und erzeig ihm dein Erbarmen: [So erzeig…]
daß es alle Lebenstage
deiner Kindschaft Zeichen trage. […Siegel trage.]

2 Wasche es mit deinem Blut, [Wasch es früh…]
treuer Jesu! von den Sünden. [Theurer Jesu!…]
Laß in deiner Taufe Fluth
den geerbten Fluch verschwinden; [allen alten Fluch…]
und sein Leben auf der Erden
deinem Vorbild ähnlich werden.

3 Und, du werther heilger Geist! […heilig-werther Geist]
schenk ihm deineGnadenkräfte. [leih ihm…]
Treibe, wie dein bund verheißt,
selbst in ihm das Heilsgeschäfte: [selbst mit…]
daß es stets an Jesu Leibe
ein lebendig Gliedmaß bleibe.