Heut lobe Gott, du Christen-Chor

Here is my translation of the church consecration hymn, “Heut lobe Gott, du Christen-Chor!” (Paul Henkel, d. 1825), in NEGB #130 with melody assignment “Es ist das Heil uns kommen her.” The Church Hymn Book (1816ff.) has an English adaptation in 7 stanzas of Common Meter, with the title “For the consecrating of a Church.” (See below.)

 

O CHRISTIAN choir, thy God adore
With heart and mind rejoicing,
And enter at His Temple door,
Praise for His goodness voicing;
Remember now His bounteous grace
That He hath builded in this place
A house for His due glory!

2 Let every soul as due draw near
With song and supplication;
And God will surely make it clear
To our great jubilation
That He will dwell among us here,
His temple’s glory, light, and cheer,
His flock’s beloved Shepherd.

3 He feeds us with His mighty Word,
To meadows green doth guide us;
He is our Shield and Rock assured
Lest any harm betide us.
Who trust God’s mercy, surely find
His pow’r renews their soul and mind
And makes them His own children.

4 The Lord hath brought us hitherto,
And brings us on to heaven;
Let us but fight the warfare true,
So shall success be given.
In hope and faith we pray that He
Will cause true Christianity
Within our church to flourish.

5 O Jesus, pass Thy knowledge down
To every generation.
Thy Word with might and vigor crown
For sinful man’s salvation;
Let wand’ring shop be called again,
Be wakened from their sleep of sin,
And to Thy flock be gathered.

Translation © 2023 Matthew Carver.

CHURCH HYMN BOOK

We praise the Lord, whose love is great;
His mercies we embrace;
We enter now, His temple gate,
And thank him for his grace.

2 This house for sacred use design'd,
We dedicate to God;
Here may the Lord of glory find,
A dwelling and abode.

3 Here we approach thy sacred courts,
With reverence and fear;
We will engage our best efforts,
To worship Thee with pray'r.

4 Lord, may this be Thy sanctuary,
Here with Thy Spirit dwell:
To us and or posterity,
The way to heav'n reveal.

5 Here Savior, show Thy Gospel light,
And send Thy blessings down;
Bring thy life-giving Word to sight,
And make salvation known.

6 Here let Thy blessed Word be taught,
To us, and to our youth;
May thousands to that light be brought,
Where in they learn the truth.

7 Here let us hear the Gospel sound,
Attend Thy Word with grace;
Call many wand’ring sinners round,
To come and fill this place.

GERMAN

Heut lobe Gott, du Christenchor
mit freudigem Gemüthe,
geht ein durch seines Tempels Thor
und preiset seine Güte;
gedenket seiner großen Gnad,
das er sich hier errichtet hat,
ein Haus zu seiner Ehre.

2 Ein jeder komm nach seiner Pflicht,
mit Singen, Beten, Flehen;
vergesset solches nimmer nicht,
so wird man freudig sehen,
daß er wird selber wohnen hier
und sein des Tempels Licht und Zier,
und Hirte seiner Heerde.

3 Er weidet uns mit seinem Wort,
führt uns auf grünen Auen;
er ist das Leben, Schild und Hort,
die seiner Güte trauen,
erfahren, daß die göttlich Kraft,
sie ganz zu neuen Menschen macht,
und Gottes Kinder werden.

4 Bisher hat uns der Herr gebracht,
er wird uns weiter bringen;
wir üben gute Ritterschaft,
es wird uns auch gelingen;
wir hoffen, glauben, bitten drum,
der Herr wird wahres Christenthum
in unstre Kirche schaffen.

5 Hier, Jesu, pflanz Erkenntnis fort,
auf Kind und Kindes Kinder,
gib Kraft und Nachdruck deinem Wort,
beleb die todte Sünder;
laß rufen die verlorne Schaf,
erweck sie von dem Sündenschlaf,
bring sie zu deiner Heerde.
‡