Herr, hör, was ich will bitten dich

Here is my translation of the psalm paraphrase, “Herr, hör, was ich will bitten dich” (Cornelius Becker, d. 1604), based on Psalm V, Verba mea auribus, for which the melody “Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ,” is normally assigned. 

Vierling (Biblia, 707) says, “It is a prayer psalm against the false teachers and sectarian spirits, in which he vehemently laments their glittering teaching and works with which they do great harm, under the name of God, both to the pure Word of God and to the true worship of God (v. 6); and he prays for the godly, that is, for the pure Word of God and true divine service (v. 12), and promises in the last verse that this prayer will be answered and the sectarian spirits cast away. The psalm pertains to the Second and Third Commandments, in which God’s name and Word are commanded to be hallowed, and to the First and Second Petitions of the Our Father, where the advancement of God’s name, glory, and kingdom are prayed for.”

 

GIVE ear, O Lord, to what I pray,
My words in grace attending;
Do not despise what now I say,
But hear my cry ascending!
My King and God, to Thee I sigh:
Hear Thou my voice right early,
Hear me surely,
Lord, when at morn I cry,
And let my pray’r ring clearly.

2 For sinners please Thee not, O God,
No evil dwells before Thee,
The wicked there find no abode;
All those in self who glory
Shall not before Thy count’nance tread.
The liar, unbeliever,
And deceiver,
And he that blood would shed
Is paid with Thy disfavor.

3 Thy house I’ll enter by Thy grace
And come in faith before Thee;
I’ll serve Thee in the holy place
And in Thy fear adore Thee.
Lord, lead me in Thy righteousness
Because of foes, who hate me
And berate me.
Thy way before me dress,
And with Thy grace elate me.

4 No comfort from their mouth I have;
My heart their doctrine stingeth.
Their throat is but an open grave,
Their tongue with flatt’ry singeth;
God, in their works destroy their horde,
Cast down their false conceiving,
Nothing leaving.
For they have mocked Thy Word;
Lord, let them then be grieving!
 
5 But let believers joyful be,
Whose trust in Thee is founded;
Let them forever worship Thee
Whose grace hath them surrounded.
Be Thou the joy and bliss of those
Who love Thy name and bless it,
And confess it;
Thy flock shield from all foes;
In grace let naught distress it!

Translation © 2024 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

HERR, hör, was ich will bitten dich,
Merck auf mein Wort gar eben,
Verſchmeh doch meine Rede nicht,
Vernimm mein Gſchrei darneben,
Mein König und mein HErre Gott,
Früh wolſt mein Stimm erhören,
Mich gewehren.
Früh ruff ich in der Noth,
Merck auf mein lieber Herre.

2 Denn du biſt nicht ein ſolcher GOtt,
Dem gottloß Weſen gfalle.
Für dir nicht bleibt der Böſen Rott,
Die Ruhmretigen alle,
Für deinn Augen beſtehen nicht,
Du bringſt umb all, die liegen,
Und betriegen,
Wer falſch, blutgirig iſt,
Wird ſeinen Lohn wohl kriegen.

3 Ich aber will ins heilig Hauß
Auff deine Gnade treten,
Dein Dienſt im Glauben richten aus,
In deiner Furcht anbeten.
Leit mich in deiner Grechtigkeit
Umb meiner Feinde willen,
Sie zu ſtillen,
Dein Weg für mir bereit,
Mit Gnaden mich erfülle.

4 Aus jener Mund kein Troſt ich hab,
Hertzleid ihr Lehr anrichtet.
Ihr Rachen iſt ein offen Grab,
Heuchlen ihr Zung und tichtet. [Heuchley ihr Zung nur tichtet]
Straff ſie in ihrem thun, O GOtt,
Stoß umb ihr falſch Getichte,
Machs zu nichte,
Dein Wort ſie han verſpot,
Das wirſtu HERR wol richten.

5 Die Gläubigen laſs frewen ſich,
Die Hoffnung zu dir haben,
Laß ſie dich rühmen ewiglich,
Die du beſchirmſt mit Gnaden,
Sey du ſelbſt derer Frewd und Wonn,
Die deinen Namen lieben,
Dein Lob üben,
Dein Gnad ſey Schild und Kron,
Daſs ſie kein Leid betrübe.