Here is my translation of the psalm paraphrase, “Wie meinſtus doch, ach Herr, mein Gott” (Cornelius Becker, d. 1604), based on Psalm X, Ut quid Domine, for which hymn the melody normally assigned is “Ach Gott vom Himmel, sieh darein.”
Vierling (Biblia, 710), says, “It is a psalm of supplication and complains of the archenemy of this kingdom of Christ, that is, against the antichrist, who destroys Christendom with both force and cunning because of his covetousness and pompous life. He uses both the sword of temporal tyranny upon the body, and the net of false doctrine upon the soul. And he can do no more, as it says here (v. 7), ‘His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and fraud.’ Cursing, that is, excommunicating and condemning; likewise, lying, that is, instituting false teaching and worship; and deceiving, that is, tricking and fooling all the world out of goods, honor, power, body, and soul. But in the conclusion, the psalm gives the consolation that this abomination will be blotted out at the end of the world (v. 16). And it pertains to the Second Commandment and to the First Petition, as do all psalms of supplication.”
O LORD my God, what meanest Thou
To stand at such a distance
And hide in time of trouble now,
When I desire assistance?
The wicked in his proud pursuit
Without all shame doth persecute
And makes the poor to suffer!
2 Together swarm the wicked horde,
New villainies devising,
And serve their shameful greed as lord,
No wicked plan despising;
In pride and wrath they God blaspheme,
His judgments they but jesting deem,
And care not what man thinketh.
3 Because Thy judgment bides its time,
They carry on transgressing
With prideful hearts in sin and crime,
The faithful poor oppressing,
And yet within their heart declare:
To curb or stop us no man dare!
There is no cause for worry!
4 The wicked naught but cursing knows,
Deceit and fraud inventing,
His tongue works mischief, toil, and woes,
To murder e’er assenting.
He seeks to shed the blood of men,
And lies in wait within his den
To catch the poor and needy.
5 Like as a lion takes his spoil
From haunts where is lying,
And as the fowl with little toil
Is caught in careless flying,
The wicked doth the good beset
And draweth him into his net
So that at last he falleth.
6 Within his heart he thinketh still
To do all his desiring,
Without all fear, just as he will:
God will not be requiring.
He seeth not our grave offense,
For He hath hid His countenance.
He never shall avenge it.
7 Arise, Lord God, lift up Thine hand,
Forget not the oppressèd,
The foes Thy will with might withstand.
Save those by need distressèd.
Why should the godless blaspheme Thee
And make of us a mockery,
As though Thou didst not heed us?
8 Thou see’st and knowest our distress,
’Tis in Thy hand, Lord, ever;
Thou art called by the fatherless
Their Helper and their Savior.
Then break the wicked’s mighty arm,
That wickedness may cease to harm,
And fin’lly be confounded.
9 The Lord is King forevermore,
The heathen all are perished;
God doth the faithful heart restore,
And their desires are cherished.
The poor and fatherless He aids,
Men’s mighty boast to nothing fades,
For God defends the righteous.
Translation © 2024 Matthew Carver.
GERMAN
Wie meinſtus doch, ach Herr, mein Gott,
Daß du von mir tritſt ferne,
Verbirgeſt dich zur Zeit der Noth,
Wenn ich dich hätte gerne,
Der Gottloß treibt viel Übermuth,
Was ihm gelüſt, ohn Schew er thut,
Der Elend muß ſich leiden.
2 Zuſammen tritt der Böſen Rott,
erdencken Bubenſtücke,
der ſchendlich Geitz iſt ihr Abgott,
rühmen ſich böſer Tücke.,
Aus Stoltz und Zorn ſie läſtern Gott,
ſein Gricht iſt ihnen nur ein Spot,
fragen nach keinem Menſchen.
3 Weil ſie nicht bald trifft dein Gericht
in ihren böſen Tücken,
fahren ſie fort ganz trotziglich,
den Armen zuverdrücken,
und ſprechen noch im Hertzen wol,
niemand es ihnen weren ſol,
Es wird kein Noth nicht haben.
4 Der Gottloß nichts denn fluchen kan,
Falſchheit und Trug er tichtet.,
Sein Zung richt Müh und Arbeit an,
auff Mord iſt ſie gerichtet.,
Auff Blutvergieſſen er ſich ſpitzt,
wann er in ſeinen Höfen ſitzt,
und lauret auf den Armen.
5 Gleich wie ein Lew den Raub anfellt,
aus ſeiner Höl verborgen,
und wie mit Liſt wird nachgeſtellt,
den Vögeln ohne Sorgen:
Alſo der Böß den Frommen treugt,
wann er ihn in ſein Nezte zeucht,
ſchlägt, ſtöſt, drückt ihn zu Boden.
6 Noch dencket er im Hertzen frey,
darff ſichs auch wol vermeſſen,
er woll forfahren ohne Scheu,
ſpricht: Gott hat es vergeſſen.,
Wie wirs treiben, das ſiht er nicht,
denn er verbirgt ſein Angeſicht.,
Er wirds nimmermehr rechen.
7 Steh auff HErr Gott, erheb dein Hand,
vergiß nicht des Elenden,
dem Feind thu kräfftign Widerſtand,
der Betrübten Noth abwende.
Warumb ſol der Gottloſen Rott,
dich leſtern, unſer haben Spott,
als ob du uns nicht achteſt?
8 Du ſiehſt und weiſt all unſer Noth,
es ſteht in deinen Händen,
die armen Wayſen dich O Gott,
ja ihren Helffer nennen.,
Dein Gricht der Frefler Macht zerſtör,
auff daß zuletzt mit Spot auffhör,
ihr ſchendlich gottloß Weſen.
9 Der HERR iſt König ewiglich,
die Heyden ſind verſtöret,
der Frommen Hertz des frewet ſich,
daß Gott ihr Seufftzen höret.
Armen und Wayſen hilfft er wol,
der Menſchen Trutz nicht gelten ſol,
weil Gott ſchützt die Gerechten.
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