Hilf, Herre Gott, errette mich

Here is my translation of the psalm paraphrase, “Hilf, Herre Gott, errette mich” (Cornelius Becker, d. 1604), based on Psalm LVIX, Eripe me de inimicis, with title “A curse upon the Jews . . . A golden jewel of David (that he may not perish) when Saul sent and had his house guarded, that he might slay him,” and melody assignment: “Ach Gott vom Himmel sieh darein.” Vierling writes of the psalm (Biblia, 752),

It is a psalm of supplication and can very well be spoken in the person of Christ crying out over the Jews and prophesying that they will not be blotted out but scattered into all the world, and teach utter cursing and contradiction. So they have done hitherto, setting their doctrine against Christ, to curse and to deny Him. For this they also have their reward, so that they run around the city at evening like hungry dogs and find nothing (v. 7), that is, at the end of the world, since the time of the Apostles, they are hunted among the heathen from one land to another, longingly and hungrily seeking where they might be able to establish a kingdom or dominion, but it will not be. They must remain hungry dogs and run around until they lie down unsatisfied, and are buried without a kingdom, and are cast down to hell. However, it can also be understood according to the history of David, against his Saulites, who at last had to run around like hungry dogs without a kingdom, until they were totally rooted out. For Saul’s lineage never regained the kingdom, although they strove for it with great longing and diligence.

 

HELP, O my God, deliver me
From those that rise against me,
From workers of iniquity,
Who ill have recompensed me;
With murd’rous thoughts they round me pace,
They seek my life in every place
Lord, help me in Thy mercy.

2 O faithful God, to help awake,
Thy pity let avail me;
The mighty wait, my soul to take,,
They gather to assail me,
Not for my trespass nor my sin,
They webs of wicked counsel spin,
Though I have not deserved it.

3 Awake, O Lord of Sabaoth,
My God awake to meet me
And visit in Thine anger wroth
The heathen who mistreat me;
Their tide of wicked mishcief stem,
And be not merciful to them,
Who daringly defy Thee.

4 At evening do their howls resound
Like dogs with bloodthirst panting,
In strife they run the city round,
No peaceful moment granting;
They cease not belching sland’rously,
As naked swords they swing at me
Their lips and tongues deceiving.

5 And yet they boastfully exclaim,
Who seeth us or heareth?
Thy judgment, Lord, they thus defame;
And yet Thy reck’ning neareth,
And they shall find there is a God
Who laughs at them, and for their fraud
Shall have them in derision.

6 I shall be safe from all their pow’r,
If I but let Thee lead me;
Thou art my great Defense and Tow’r,
Thy mercy shall precede me.
Thy grace Thou richly showest me,
That I may on mine enemy
See my desire fulfillèd.
    
7 Yet slay them not so utterly,
Nor every life be taking,
But let them widely scattered be,
Of them example making,
That none who scoff at Thee succeed;
Lord, bring them down to death indeed,
Thou Shield of Thy believers!

8 Their doctrine truly is but sin,
Their pride to yield refuseth,
Their preaching has no balm within,
Their tongue Thy Word abuseth;
Against Thy Christ they lie and curse
And blasphemies all day disperse,
In blindness wholly hardened.

9 Consume them, Lord, in furious wrath,
Yea, from the earth consume them,
Destroy them in their wicked path,
With life and limb entomb them,
That they may nothing be, and know
Thou rul’st on high and here below,—
Our Lord, the God of Jacob!

10 At evening let their howls resound
Like dogs with bloodthirst panting,
And in the city run around,
No peaceful moment granting;
Yea, let them wander for their meat,
And grudge for some small scrap to eat,
Yet without satisfaction!

11 But I will of Thy power sing,
Yea, I will sing sincerely,
In morning-tide my off’ring bring,
And sing thanksgiving clearly.
My whole defense I find in Thee,
To Thee in time of need I flee,
And in Thy grace take comfort!

12 To Thee I’ll sing in my distress,
Thy glory magnifying;
Thou hast in Thy great mightiness
Saved me from dangers trying;
Thou art my God and my Defense,
My Shield of peace and Confidence,
My gracious Lord forever!

Translation © 2024 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Hilff, Herre Gott, errette mich
Aus meiner Feinde Händen,
Beſchütze mich, HErr, kräfftiglich,
Daß die ihr Tück nicht enden,
Die ſchwanger gehn mit eytelm Mord,
Stehn wieder mich an allem Orth,
Schaff Hülff HErr durch deine Güte.

2  Ach trewer Gott ſieh doch darein,
Laß dein meinn Jammer tawren,
Die Starcken ſo gewaltig ſeyn,
Auff meine Seele lawren,
Ohn meine Schuld und Miſſethat
Laufn ſie zuſammen, halten Rath,
Ich habs ja nicht verſchuldet.

3  Erwache doch, Herr Zebaoth,
Mein Gott, thu mir begegnen,
Wach auff, ſuch heim, Iſraels Gott,
All die ſo gar verwegen
Frevel begehn und Übelthat,
Erzeig ihr keinem keine Gnad,
Die heydniſch an mir handeln.

4  Des Abends las ſie heulen ſehr,
Wie die hungrigen Hunde,
Die lauffen in der Stadt umbher
In Unfried alle Stunden,
Sie laſſen doch ihr Leſtern nicht,
Wie Schwerder ſind auff mich gericht
Ihr Mund und falſche Zungen.

5  Noch ſagen ſie gantz trotziglich:
Wer ſolt diß ſehn und hören?
HErr Gott, ſie ſpotten dein Gericht,
Es wird ſich bald umbkehren,
Sie werden's findn, es ſey ein Gott,
Der aller Heyden Boßheit ſpott,
Du HErr wirſt ihrer lachen.

6  Sicher bin ich für ihrer Macht,
Wenn ich zu dir mich halte,
Du biſt mein Schutz, haſt mich in acht,
Ich laß dein Güte walten,
Reichlich erzeigeſtu mir Gnad,
Daß ich kan ſehn nach deinem Rath,
Mein Luſt an meinen Feinden.
    
7  Doch wolſtu ſie nicht allzugleich
Erwürgen und auffreiben,
Zerſtrewe ſie in alle Reich,
Damit ein Beyſpiel bleibe,
Verächtern nie gelungen hat,
Stos ſie hinunder ohne Gnad,
Du biſt ein Schild der Frommen.

8  Ihr Lehr iſt eitel Sünd fürwar,
Ihrn Stoltz wolln ſie nicht brechen,
Ihr Predigen iſt troſtlos gar,
Deim Wort ſie wiederſprechen,
Sie fluchen dem Geſalbten dein
Und läetern in den Tag hinein,
In Blindheit gantz verſtocket.

9  Vertilge ſie ohn alle Gnad,
Vertilg ſie von der Erden,
Damit ſies doch nur in der That
Dermals eins innewerden,
Daß ſie nichts ſeynd. du biſts allein,
Du Herrſcher aller Welt gemein,
Gott Jakob unſer HErre.

10  Des Abends laß ſie wiederumb
Auch heulen wie die Hunde,
Und lauffen in der Stadt herum
Unruhig alle Stunden,
Laß ſie lauffen nach Speis umbher,
Laß ſie murren und gruntzen ſehr
Und doch nimmer ſatt werden.

11  Ich aber wil von deiner Macht
Aus Grund meins Hertzens ſingen,
Des Morgens rühmen mit Andacht
Dein Güt für allen Dingen,
Du biſt mein Schutz und ſtarcker Gott,
Zu dir flieh ich in meiner Noth
Und tröſt mich deiner Gnade.

12  Dir mein Herr wil lobſingen ich,
Du biſt mein Schutz in Nöthen,
Du haſt mich ſo gewaltiglich
Aus aller Gfahr errettet.
Du mein Gott biſt allein mein Schutz,
Mein Friedſchilt, Zuverſicht und Trutz,
Allzeit mein gnedigr HErre.