Lobet den Herrn alle

Here is my translation of the festal choir piece, “Lobet den Herrn alle” (ad. Heinrich Schütz, st. 1, d. 1672; Joseph Clauder, d. 1653, sts. 2–4), in ELGB #250, where it is appointed for days of Apostles and other feasts, and no melody is given. The first stanza, slightly altered, is from Schütz’s Symphoniae Sacrae, 1647, and is based on Psalm 117. Stanzas 2–4 are found with it in the Gotha Cantional 1646 (1651) with both a Latin text and a new, simple 4-voice setting, and in Gsb 1683, no. 143, p. 198f., and 1691, no. 116, p. 112, with no Latin and without music, where it is appointed for Holy Trinity. The Gotha Cantional indicates music by (?Orfeo) Vecchi, and text by Joseph Clauder, though it is unclear whether the latter is responsible for both Latin and German. I also include from Zahn a later melody taken from Witt 1715.

O PRAISE the Lord God, all ye,
O praise Him, all ye heathen,
O praise Him, all ye,
O praise Him, all ye,
O praise Him, all ye nations:
His grace and truth are changeless,
Lasting ever, ever and evermore,
Ever and evermore.

2 Declare His wonders glorious
With shouts and songs victorious
With anthems painless,
With anthems painless,
With lips and hearts all stainless:
His grace and truth are changeless,
Lasting ever, ever and evermore,
Ever and evermore.

3 Glad songs to God be given,
Sun, moon, and stars of heaven,
In every nation,
In every nation,
The earth and all creation:
His grace and truth are changeless,
Lasting ever, ever and evermore,
Ever and evermore.

4 O Holy! Holy! Holy!
Our Triune God is Holy!
His praise resoundeth,
His praise resoundeth,
And every land surroundeth:
His grace and truth are changeless,
Lasting ever, ever and evermore,
Ever and evermore.

Translation © 2023 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Lobet den Herren alle,
lobet Ihn alle Heiden,
preiset Ihn alle,
preiset Ihn alle,
preiset Ihn alle Volker:
Denn seine Gnad' und Wahrheit
bleibet immer, immer und ewiglich,
immer und ewiglich.

2 Erzählt sein Wunder alle
mit Jauchzen und mit Schalle
ohn' alle Schmerzen,
ohn' alle Schmerzen,
mit reinem Mund und Herzen:
denn seine Gnad' und Wahrheit
bleibet immer, immer und ewiglich,
immer und ewiglich.

3 Singt fröhlich Gott dem Herren,
Sonn', Mond und alle Sternen,
Himmel und Erden,
Himmel und Erden,
und was darauf thut werden:
denn seine Gnad und Wahrheit
bleibet immer, immer und ewiglich,
immer und ewiglich.

4 Wie Heilig! Heilig! Heilig!
ist unser Gott Drei-Einig!
Sein Lob für allen,
Sein Lob für allen,
in allem Land thut schallen:
denn seine Gnad' und Wahrheit
bleibet immer, immer und ewiglich,
immer und ewiglich.

 LATIN

Gens cuncta voce crebra
Deum tuum celebra,
Laudant et omnes,
Laudant et omnes,
hunc usque nationes.
Nam fides ejus bonitasque,
durat saecla per omnia, saecla per omnia.

2 Narrare quisquis ejus
miracla surge laetus,
Totus que gaude,
Totus que gaude,
animo labioque plaude!
Nam fides ejus bonitasque,
durat saecla per omnia, saecla per omnia.

3 Huic cantitate prompte,
Sol, luna, sidus omne,
caelum solumque,
caelum solumque,
Et quaeque fert utrumque.
Nam fides ejus bonitasque,
durat saecla per omnia, saecla per omnia.

4 Sanctus Jehovah, Sanctus
Sanctus manet Triunus
Honore cujus,
Honore cujus,
claret stupetque mundus.
Nam fides ejus bonitasque,
durat saecla per omnia, saecla per omnia.