Fest ist gegründet Gottes Stadt

Here is my translation of the psalm paraphrase, “Fest ist gegründet Gottes Stadt” (Cornelius Becker, d. 1604), based on Psalm LXXXVII, Fundamenta eius in montibus, with title “The beautiful city of God . . . A psalm-song of the children of Korah” and melody assignment “Christ, der du bist der helle Tag.” Of the psalm itself, Luther writes,

It is a prophecy of the Christian church telling that she will be a city as wide as the world is, and in her shall be born Ethiopians, Egyptians, Babylonians, Tyrians, Philistians, and people of all manner of lands and languages, and all this by the Gospel, which will proclaim wholly glorious things of God, which is to say, the knowledge of God, that is, how people may come to God, be rid of sin, and be saved from death, namely, through Christ, etc. And the worship of God shall also be found in this city, that is, the preaching, praising, and thanking of God’s grace with joy. And there shall be no Moses in her afflicting and tormenting her with his law.

 

GOD’S city firmly founded lies
On holy mounts that heav’nward rise;
Fair are her gates, which far above
All Jacob’s homes the Lord doth love.

2 In her are spoken glorious things,
God, bring to her the nations’ kings,
Let Rahab, yea, and Babel come,
And all the hearts of heathendom.

3 From Philistine and Tyrian land
Draw many by Thy mighty hand,
There with the Ethiope to bide
And be new-born and sanctified.

4 In Zion shall this word be said:
Here shall be newly born and bred
For heaven many a people yet;
Her shall the Highest richly set.

5 In her the Gospel shall be sung
And purely taught in many a tongue.
God brings His child forth by the same,
And calls him after His own name.

6 The singers and the players there
Shall sound the anthem sweet and fair,
They’ll sing in joyful harmony
And praise God for eternity.

Translation © 2024 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Feſt iſt gegründet Gottes Stadt
Auff heilgem Berg die Er lieb hat,
Die Thor Zion ſind ſchön erbaut,
Der Herr auf Jacobs Wohnung ſchaut.

2  Man predigt in ihr herrlich Ding,
Hilff Gott, daß deinem Werck geling,
Daß Rahab, Babel auch herkom,
Und Heyden viel in großer Summ.

3  Aus Tyro und Philiſterland,
Wolſt bringen her durch deine Hand,
Daß ſie da wohnen, auch die Mohrn
Las darin werden newgeborn.

4  Man wird zu Zion ſagen wol,
Daß hier geboren werden ſoll
Allerley Volck zum Himmelreich,
Die Stadt der Höchſte bawet reich.

5  Das Evangelium wird man hörn
In allen Sprachen trewlich lehrn,
Dadurch erzeugt Gott ſein Kind,
Die nach ſeim Namn genennet ſind.

6  Man wird ſingen am Reihen ſchon
Des HErren Gſang mit ſüſſem Thon,
Eins umb das ander ſingt mit Frewd
Und lobet Gott in Ewigkeit.