Mein Seel ist still in meinem Gott

 Here is my translation of the psalm paraphrase, “Mein Seel ist still in meinem Gott” (Cornelius Becker, d. 1604), based on Psalm LXII, with title “Men are nothing . . . A psalm of David to sing before Jeduthun” and melody assignment “Hilff Gott wie geht das immer zu.”—the melody from Knöpken’s paraphrase of Psalm 2 (thus hinting at familiarity with earlier Lutheran metrical psalters). Later, Quirsfeld’s Harfen-Klang assigns the more widespread “Aus tiefer Noth schrei ich zu dir.” On the psalm, Vierling writes (Biblia, 754f.),

It is a psalm of instruction concerning false trust in men (v. 1) and true trust in God. Many there are who, when they enjoy a prince’s or lord’s grace or a rich and powerful man’s favor, suppose they need no more, and proceed to follow every malicious whim, particularly where they see a “bowing wall” (v. 3), that is, where they see someone takes no pleasure in court, or is needy and persecuted by others and cannot defend himself. They all show their knightly side and  with courtly manners readily dissemble and flatter the great potentates of the world. But they do not see how such boasting in men is utter vanity, nor do they believe until they see how wide of the mark they miss. Then let the motto be, Trust in God and do no man wrong; that stands firm before God and man.

On the last verse, he gives the cross-references Matthew 16:27, Romans 2:6, 1 Corinthians 3:8, and 2 Corinthians 5:10.


 

MY soul upon my God doth wait
In every tribulation—
My Rock, Defense, and Savior great-
From Him comes my salvation.
I’ll not be moved by mischief e’er,
Which enemies for me prepare
With so much strength and cunning.

2 How long shall men as one conspire
To seek a man and take him?
To slay him is their sole desire;
They would a dead man make him;
Yea, as an old and bowing wall,
A tott’ring fence, they’d make him fall
Through wickedness and malice.

3 To cast the righteous down their thought
And mind are all directed;
With lies and falsehoods they have wrought,
They would see him dejected;
They go on cursing in their heart
But blessings with their lips impart,
To fool the common people.

4 On God alone my soul doth wait—
My hopeful expectation—
My Help, Defense, and Refuge great,
Against the foe’s transgression;
In God is my salvation sure,
My glory and my rock secure,
On Him I stand unmoving.
    
5 Dear people, trust in God always,
In Him by faith confiding;
Pour out your heart in grievous days
Before Him, firm abiding!
The Lord’s our Refuge none can shake,
He surely shall not us forsake
In all our needs and troubles.

6 The sons of men are vanity,
Be they so num’rous ever,
Be they of low or high degree
Naught is their best endeavor,
In balance weighed, most light of all,
Their glory, pomp, and pride must fall,
As vanity most worthless.

7 Let no man trust in robbery,
Wrongdoing, and oppression,
Which seldom reach maturity.
Blest is true moderation,
Which never sets its heart and trust
On riches, which must turn to dust,
However great their number.

8 God hath declared a precious word
Among His people holy:
And more than once have I this heard:
God is almighty solely.
Thou gracious art, and righteous too,
And renderest to each as due
And as his work deserveth.

Translation © 2024 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Mein Seel iſt ſtill in meinem Gott,
Der mir ſtets hilft aus Nöthen,
Er iſt mein Hülff mein Schutz mein Hort,
Er kan und will mich retten,
Kein Unfall wird mich ſtürzen nicht,
Den mir der Feind hat zugericht
Mit groſſer Macht und Liſten.

2  Wie lang wirds denn ſo gehn daher,
Daß alle einem ſtellen?
Zu würgen ihn ſteht ihr Begehr,
Kurzumb ſie wolln ihn fellen,
Gleich wie ein alte hangend Wand,
Die aus Muthwill wird angerand,
Biß ſie zu Boden liege.

3  Ihr Hertz, Muth, Sinn iſt alls gericht
Zu dämpffen den Gerechten,
Mit Lügen und mit falſchem Gticht
Sie wider ihn ſtets fechten,
Sie fluchen doch im Hertzen fort,
Wenn ſie gleich gebn die beſten Wort,
Die Leute zu bethören.

4  Mein Seele harret nur auff Gott,
Der ſol mein Hoffnung bleiben,
Er iſt mein Hülff, mein Schutz, mein Hort,
Wenn ſie zum Fall mich treiben,
Bey Gott iſt mein Heil, meine Ehr,
Mein ſtarcker Fels, zum Schutz, zur Wehr,
Auff ihn ich mich verlaſſe.
    
5  Ach lieben Leut hofft ja auff Gott,
Allzeit feſt ihm vertrawet,
Schütt aus ewr Hertz in aller Noth
Für Gott, ſteiff auf ihn bawet,
Der Herr iſt unſer Zuverſicht,
Er wird uns gwiß verlaſſen nicht
In allen unſern Nöthen.

6  Die Menſchenkind ſeind doch nichts wert,
So viel ihr ſind auff Erden,
Auch die ſo groß und hoch geehrt,
Zunicht ihr Anſchleg werden,
Wenigr denn nichts ſie wegen all,
Ihr Pracht, Ruhm, Witz, Kunſt allzumal
Iſt eitel und vergebens.

7  Auff Unrecht, Frevel und Gewalt
Sol ſich niemand verlaſſen,
Denn groſſer Pracht wird ſelten alt,
Wol dem der helt recht Maſſe,
Der nicht ſetzt ſein Hertz, Sinn und Muth
Auff Reichthumb und vergenglich Gut,
Wenns ihm zufellt mit Hauffen.

8  Gott hat ein tewres Wort geredt
In ſeiner lieben Gmeine,
Ich hab es etlich mal gehört:
Gott iſt mächtig alleine.
Du HErr biſt gnädig und gerecht,
Du zahlſt und giebſt eim jeden Knecht
Nach ſeim Verdienſt und Wercken.