Daß Gott befohlen hat

 

Here is my translation of the hymn for the consecration of elders and church wardens (officers), “Daß Gott befohlen hat” (Paul Henkel, d. 1825), in NEGB #127 with melody assignment “O Gott, du frommer Gott.” It is essentially a metrical instruction on the rite for which it is appointed (ordering deacons according to the sense of church officers, or non-ordained lay servants for the physical needs of the congregation and its property), concluding with a post-consecration prayer for the consecrated. The counterpart in The Church Hymn Book (1816ff.) is “The Great Apostle Gave Command” in 6 stanzas of Long Meter; where the title indicates “church wardens, or deacons.”

 

PAUL’S teaching testifies
That God hath so ordainèd
By His own counsel wise
That order be maintainèd,
The church to oversee,
And so it must and should—
Yea, it serves needfully
The congregation’s good.

2 He teaches Timothy
That in the congregations
It should so ordered be
In all such situations,
That servants ever should
Attend the church’s need
Who consecrated, would
The congregation lead.

3 Therefore in godly fear
We keep this consecration,
Appointing servants here
Whose solemn occupation
Shall be to serve with care
And faithfulness always
That all things well may fare,
God’s be the glorious praise.

   After the Consecration.

O God, Thy servant aid
To fill as doth befit him
The duty on him laid,
To which we here commit him;
Grant him with speed to do
Whatever work he should,
And when the work is through
Grant that the end be good.

Translation © 2023 Matthew Carver.

CHURCH HYMN BOOK

The great Apostle gave command,
Let every Church in order stand;
Good regulations must be made,
And be by all the Church obeyed.

2 To answer that, so good effect,
Saint Paul himself thus did direct:
To order deacons everywhere,
Who should that sacred office bear.

3 Let such who act the faithful part,
And have the cause of Christ at heart,
And such as are of good repute,
That needful office execute.

4 Is it their aim in all they do,
To raise the Savior’s Church below!
Their faithful labors will be blest,
And Jesus’ kingdom be increased.

5 Dear Lord be with thy spirit near,
While we ordain these brethren here;
May zeal and knowledge, love and grace,
Prepare and fit them for that place.

6 Be Thou their counsel when they need,
Their conduct bless, their labors speed;
Oh, may they be of greatest worth,
To aid and build Thy church on earth.

GERMAN

Daß Gott befohlen hat,
daß wir die Ordnung halten,
nach seinem weisen Rath,
die Kirche zu verwalten,
das zeugt uns Paulus Lehr,
so müße es auch sein;
ja daß es nöthig wär,
zum Besten der Gemein.

2 Er zeigt Timoth’um an,
so sollte ers bestellen:
das wäre wohl gethan
in allen solchen Fällen,
daß der Gemein allzeit
die Diener stets vorgehn,
die zu dem Dienst geweiht,
demselben vorzustehn.

3 Desgleichen thun auch wir
so wie uns ist befohlen,
wir ordnen Diener hier,
die der Gemeine sollen,
mit aller Treu und Fleiß
zum Besten der Gemein
zu Gottes Ehr und Preis
allzeit beschäftigt sein.

Nach der Einsegnung.

4 Ach Gott, hilf solchem thun,
was ihm zu thun gebühret,
wozu ihn sein Beruf
in seinem Stande führet;
gieb, daß er thue bald
das Werk, das er thun soll,
und wann ers thut, so gieb,
daß es gerathe wohl.
‡