Es ist vollbracht! Vergiß ja nicht (supplement)

Here is my supplemental translation and composite rendering of the translations of Russell and Mueller, of the Passion hymn, “Es ist vollbracht! Vergiß ja nicht” (Johann Eusebius Schmidt, d. 1745), first appearing in Freylinghausen 1714, attested by the author himself (Wetzel, Hymnop. III, p. 83), to whom the proper melody is also ascribed. The translation by A. T. Russell of stanzas 1–3 and 5 is according to this original meter. The translation of Mueller for Selah Song-Book of stanzas 1–4 is in 88.88.88 (Vater unser) and therefore unusable. Yet his preference for the scriptural (KJV) wording to begin each stanza seems better than Russell’s “All is fulfilled,” so I have normalized this across all stanzas,

 

’TIS finished! Now my heart, record
The dying words of thy dear Lord.
When He those bitter pains sustainèd,
Which on the cross thy life obtainèd,
He who did all things well then bowed His head,
Exclaiming: "It is finishèd."

2 ’Tis finished! For the cross hath wrought
Whate’er the Law and prophets taught.
Where all the strength of nature failèd,
There Jesus’ wounds for all availèd.
What God before the worlds had counselèd,
Now through His death is finishèd.

3 ’Tis finished! All is satisfied:
The Father lays His wrath aside;
Our peace is made, and justice stillèd,
Since God’s own Son hath all fulfillèd.
What then shall wake the heart to anxious dread?
Believe now: "It is finishèd."

4 ’Tis finished! What then shall I do?
What, Jesus, shall I add thereto?
Oh, nothing! Thanks but to Thy merit;
Thy righteous work I now inherit.
What day and night I do, by Spirit sped,
That too by Thee is finishèd!

5 ’Tis finished! I am now made free
Possessed of true felicity:
Now Jesus sin and death subdueth,
And us with life and grace reneweth;
So when to dissolution worlds are led,
This stays us: “It is finishèd."

6 ’Tis finished! Now my heart, record
The dying words of thy dear Lord,
And let it ever serve and aid thee,
To finish what shall best become thee.
For all thy days be this rememberèd,
That Christ saith: “It is finishèd.”

Tr. 1–3, 5, A. T. Russell.
St. 4, 6b translation © 2024 M. Carver.


MUELLER

’Tis finished! So the Savior cried,
As on the cross for me He died;
It was a shout of victory,
That set a world in bondage free;
O hear, my soul: Salvation’s won!
’Tis finished! Jesus’ work is done.

2 ’Tis finished! What a word of joy!
The law’s demandsa are finished now.
The debt is canceled, I am free,
For Christ has paid the penalty.
O hear, my soul: Salvation’s won!
’Tis finished! Jesus’ work is done.

3 ’Tis finished! O ye sinners, hear!
Come, cast aside your doubt and fear.
Sin is atoned, God’s wrath is stilled,
For Jesus’ precious blood is spilled.
O hear it all: Salvation’s won!
’Tis finished! Jesus’ work is done.

4 ’Tis finished! Not one work remains!
Free grace abounds, and mercy reigns.
Christ’s merits are my righteousness,
My strength and comfort and my dress.
O hear it all: Salvation’s won
’Tis finished! Jesus’ work is done.

RUSSELL

All is fulfilled—my heart, record
The dying words of thy dear Lord.
When He those bitter pains sustainèd,
Which on the cross thy life obtainèd,
He who did all things well,
Then bowed His head,
Exclaiming, "It is finishèd."

2 All is fulfilled—the cross hath wrought
Whate’er the Law and prophets taught.
Where all the strength of nature failèd,
There Jesu’s wounds for all availèd.
That which before the worlds
Heav’n counselèd,
Now through His death is finishèd.

3 All is fulfilled—all satisfied:
The Father lays His wrath aside;
Our peace is made, and justice stillèd,
Since God’s own Son hath all fulfillèd.
What then shall wake the heart
To anxious dread?
Believe now, "It is finishèd."

5 All is fulfilled—I am made free
Possessed of true felicity:
Now Jesus sin and death subdueth,
And us with life and grace reneweth;
So when to dissolution
Worlds are led,
This stays us—"It is finishèd."

GERMAN

1 Es ist vollbracht! Vergiß ja nicht
dies Wort, mein Herz, das Jesus spricht,
da er am Kreuze für dich stirbet
und dir die Seligkeit erwirbet,
da er, der alles, alles wohlgemacht,
nunmehro spricht: es ist vollbracht.

2 Es ist vollbracht am Kreuze dort
Gesetz und der Propheten Wort:
was wir niemals vollbringen konnten,
ist nun vollbracht durch Jesu Wunden:
was Gottes Rath von Ewigkeit bedacht,
das ist durch seinen Tod vollbracht.

3 Es ist vollbracht und gnug gethan,
daß man nicht mehr verlangen kann,
Gott ist versöhnt und ganz gestillet,
weil sein Sohn alles hat erfüllet,
was ist, das man sich Angst und Sorge macht,
man glaube nur: Es ist vollbracht.

4 Es ist vollbracht! Was soll ich nun
darzu noch, o mein Jesu, thun?
Nichts, nichts! Denn was von dir geschehen,
wird schon als mein Werk angesehen,
und das, was dich vollbringe Tag und Nacht,
wird von dir selbst in mir vollbracht.

5 Es ist vollbracht, ich bin befreit,
ich habe schon die Seligkeit;
weil Sünd und Tod sind weggenommen,
ist Gnad und Leben wiederkommen;
darum, wenn auch gleich alles bricht und kracht,
sag ich getrost: Es ist vollbracht.

6 Es ist vollbracht! Vergiß ja nicht
dies Wort, mein Herz, das Jesus spricht,
und laß es dir auch darzu dienen,
daß du vollbringst, was dir will ziemen.
So lang du lebst, laß dies nicht aus der Acht,
daß Jesus spricht: Es ist vollbracht!