Der Herr erhör dich in der Noth

Here is my translation of the psalm paraphrase, “Der Herr erhör dich in der Noth” (Cornelius Becker, d. 1604), based on Psalm XX, Exaudiat te Dominus, with melody assignment “Es woll uns Gott genädig sein.”

Vierling (Biblia, 718) writes on the Psalm, “It is a psalm of supplication and prays properly for emperors, kings, princes, and all who sit in worldly authority, that God would grant them grace to reign peaceably and to have success and victory against their enemies. For if good secular government depended on the reason and strength of princes and lords, we would not have to pray so earnestly and heartily for them. But that we pray for them shows that it is only the greatest fools and they who are utterly blind who presume to govern land and people out of their own head. It pertains to the Second Commandment, like all psalms of supplication, for there God’s name is called upon, and to the Third Petition, where God’s will and not the devil’s is to be done.

 

THE Lord hear thee in days of need,
The name of God defend thee,
Help from His holy places speed,
And strength in mercy lend thee
To Him thy service pleasing be,
Which to His praise aspireth;
The Lord thy will perform for thee,
And what thy heart desireth,
Thy counsel all fulfilling.

2 We boast in Thee, O God, our Stay,
And in Thy name most holy
Set up our banners, work and pray,
Thou hear’st our sighing lowly;
And Thy salvation shineth clear
To Thine anointed given,
When Thy right hand upholds us here,
And from Thy holy heaven
Thy grace is manifested.

3 In horse and chariot much they trust
Who threaten and deride us;
But we remember, yea, and boast,
That God doth fight beside us;
His name consoles our little band;
Through Him we are victorious,
They’re fallen, but we upright stand
And thank our King all-glorious,
And trust in His salvation.

Translation © 2024 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

1  Der Herr erhör dich in der Noth/
Sein Nam dich wohl behüte/
Er ſend dir Hülff, der fromme Gott/
Und ſtärck dich durch ſein Güte/
Dein Gottesdienſt gefällig ſey/ [ihm gfällig]
Der ihm geſchicht zu Ehren,
Er woll thun nach dem Willen dein/
Was dein Herz wird begehren,
Dein Bitte dir gewehren.

2  Dein Hülff, HErr Gott, iſt unſer Ruhm/
Daß wir in deinem Namen
Panir auffwerffen/ Thaten thun/
Das Gbet iſt Ja und Amen/
Dabey man deine Hülffe merckt/
Die du deinm Gſalbten leiſteſt/
Wenn deine rechte Hand uns ſtärckt/
Und gwaltiglich erweiſet/
Dein Gnad an uns gepreiſet.

3  Auf Roß und Wagen trotzen ſehr/
Die wieder uns thun ſtreiten/
Wir rühmen aber doch viel mehr/
Daß Gott uns ſteht zur Seiten/
Sein Nam iſt unſer Zuverſicht/
Die Feind durch ihn wir ſchlagen/
Sie fallen/ wir ſtehn auffgericht/
Dem König wir Danck ſagen/
Auff ſeine Hülff wirs wagen.