Here is my translation of the Baptism hymn, “Herr, der du selbst die Tauf befohlen” (Christoph Friedrich Neander, d. 1775), in NEGB #106 and #107 for the “holy Baptism of a child” and “holy Baptism of multiple children” resp., with melody assignment “Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten.” It appears earlier in the “new” German hymnals of the late 18th c., e.g., Nassau 1779, with the pluralized form of the second stanza under a separate subtitle “For multiple children.” Henkel retains a plural form for the first stanza of either hymn, perhaps taking it in a general sense, and uses the singular form of stanza 2 in #106 and the plural in #107. Since the form in the Nassau hymnal has a singular in the first stanza, I also suggest this possibility in brackets. — The later hymnal, Neues Gsb für einige ritterschaftliche Gemeinden… (Römhild, 1785), no. 162, shows these two stanzas (with the singular pronouns) as stanzas 4–5 of the hymn “Herr, der du keinen je verstiessest.” Koch identifies the hymn as C. F. Neander’s, saying that stanzas 2, 5, and 6 were included in Braunschweig Gsb 1779 as “Du wiesest, Jesu, nicht die Kleinen” or “Due wiesest ehmals nicht die Deinen,” from which stanza 2 also was later dropped in the Württemberg Gsb 1791, where it takes the form of our present hymn. The longer form occurs in many Reformed hymnals especially of northern German provenance. The two-stanza form is translated by Samuel Gilman as “This Child We Dedicate to Thee,” in which, however, the meter, being LM, is defective. The form in NEGB I give in translation first; below it, the longer form.
Receive with faithfulness renowned
Those who to Thee hereby are handed, [The child that here to Thee is handed,]
Let them Thy baptized heirs be found. [Let him/her…]
Christ Jesus, Baptism’s Founder Thou,
With heav’nly blessings them endow! […him/her endow]
2 So by Thy seal of grace and favor
Confirm his Christian privilege, [her]
And consecrate him in this laver [her]
An heir of heaven’s heritage,
And make him prize, when he is grown, [her…she]
The joy that Christians are Thine own.
*2 So by Thy seal of grace and favor
Confirm their Christian privilege,
And consecrate them in this laver
The heirs of heaven’s heritage,
And make them prize, when they are grown,
The truth that Christians are Thine own.
GERMAN
Herr, der du selbst die Tauf befohlen
dir, dessen Treue unwandelbar,
dir sein die Kinder hier empfohlen! [Dir sei auch dieses Kind…]
Wir bringen sie zur Taufe dar. […bringens deiner Taufe dar.]
O segne sie, Herr Jesu Christ, [O segne es…]
der du der Taufe Stifter bist.
2 Laß durch dies Siegel deiner Gnade
sein Christenrecht bestätigt sein;
und weihe es in diesem Bade
zum Erben deines Himmels ein.
Und daß ein Christ dir angehört,
dies Glück mach künftig ihm recht werth.
*2 Laß durch dies Siegel deiner Gnade
ihr Christenrecht bestätigt sein;
und weihe sie in diesem Bade
zu Erben deines Himmels ein.
Und daß ein Christ dir angehört,
dies Glück mach künftig ihnen werth.
(Longer Form:)
O LORD, who never hast rejected
Those who in faith draw nigh to Thee,
Nor let them, who Thy grace expected,
Go from Thee disappointedly:
Blest be Thy tender love always,
That gladly hears and help conveys.
2 Of old Thou turnedst from Thee never
The children brought by parents’ hands,
Thou knew’st them as Thy children ever,
And graciously didst condescend.
Thou saidst, O bring them unto Me,
For heaven’s kingdom theirs must be.
3 O Friend of children, though ascended,
As their Redeemer throned above,
No less dost Thou, in glory splendid
At God’s right hand, show them Thy love:
Thou dost remain their confidence,
Nor ever canst forget them hence.
4 Receive this child which here is handed
To Thee, whose faithfulness renowned!
We bring it as Thou hast commanded,
Let it Thy baptized heir be found.
Christ Jesus, Baptism’s Founder Thou,
With heav’nly blessings them endow!
5 By this Thy seal of grace create him
Possessor of all Christian right,
And in this cov’nant consecrate him
A child of God and heir of light;
And let him prize eternally
The truth that he belongs to Thee.
Translation © 2023 Matthew Carver.
GERMAN
Herr, der du keinen je verstiessest,
der sich im Glauben dir genaht;
nie unerfreut den von dir liessest,
der dich um deine Gnade bat:
gelobt sei deine Freunsdchaft,
die gern erhöret und erfreut!
2 Du wiesest ehmals nicht die Kleinen,
die dir die Eltern brachten, ab,
erkanntest, Herr, sie für die Deinen,
und liessest huldvoll dich herab.
Laßt, sprachst du, lasset sie zu mir,
und wißt, das Himmelreich ist ihr.
3 Du bist, erhabner Freund der Kinder,
die auch durch dich Erlöste sind,
zur Rechten Gottes itzt nicht minder
holdselig gegen sie gesinnt.
Du bleibst der Deinen Zuversicht,
vergissest ihrer ewig nicht.
4 Dir sei auch dieses Kind empfohlen,
dir, dessen Treu undwandelbar!
Wir bringens, wie du selbst befohlen,
dir in der heilgen Taufe dar.
O segne es, Herr Jesu Christ,
der du der Taufe Stifter bist!
5 Laß durch dies Siegel deiner Gnade
sein Christenrecht bestätigt sein,
und weih es nun in diesem Bande
zu Gottes Kind und Erben ein.
Das Glück, daß es dir angehört,
Herr, sei ihm ewig theur und werth!
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