Hör, mein Volk, mein Gesetz und Weis

Here is my translation of the psalm paraphrase, “Hör, mein Volk, mein Gesetz und Weis” (Cornelius Becker, d. 1604), based on Psalm LXXVIII, Attendite popule meus, with title “Church history of the Old Testament . . . An instruction of Asaph” and melody assignment “Kommt her zu mir, spricht Gottes Sohn.” Of the psalm itself, Luther writes at length,

It is a psalm of instruction in which he uses the examples and history of the whole people of Israel from the beginning up to David to teach us to trust and believe in God. And he warns us against distrust and unbelief (v. 9), points out the punishment that was administered to those who distrusted (v. 23), and the grace that came to those who trusted (v. 33).

  In this text, four points should be contemplated: The first is an exhortation to hear God's Word earnestly and to consider his wonders diligently, and therefore, that everyone may be incited to the fear of God, to faith, and to a Christian life. For there is no man so unruly and hardened when he hears the examples of both the wrath and the grace of God, he is not moved thereby to leave the wicked and to do good, and thus to exercise faith adn love toward God and men. For similar labors earn similar compensation; and that is a prudent man who gains wisdom and learns caution at others’ expense. The second point is that God's Word should be passed down to posterity, and especially that parents should diligently bring up their kids so that they also keep the Lord’s ways and do what is right or good, as God HImself commanded in Deuteronomy 4:10, saying, “Thou shalt make known to thy children and thy children’s children that they may hear My Word and learn to fear Me all the days of their life on earth, and teach their own children.” Which admonition of God St. Paul repeats in Ephesians 6:4, saying, “Ye fathers, bring up your children in the discipline and admonition of the Lord.” The third point relates the reasons why God’s Word should be diligently rehearsed, namely, that we may learn to put our hope in God, that is, believe God rightly, follow Him faithfully, and be willing and obedient, and that we may preserve HIs fatherly grace and escape temporal and eternal punishments. The fourth point teaches us that the more good God does for men, the less they are improved tehreby, but grow increasingly worse. And that many, while yet the punishment lies on their neck, ask God for grace, but as soon as it departs, they return to their former life and sin up and down the countryside, and act like spoiled children who subject themselves to a pious disposition when they feel the rod, but as soon as it is gone, they are as wicked as they ever were. Hence there sprang up the saying, “When patient prospered, he grew even worse.” Theerefore we are to convert and turn to Him who has smitten us (Isa. 9:13), and be truly earnest to persever steadfast in true repentance. Amen.

 

MY people, hear my law, incline
Your ears to this my word divine
Which from my mouth proceedeth;
In parables I sing and say
Dark sayings from the olden day,
As man in Scripture readeth.

2 That which our fathers us have told
To children openly unfold,
To coming generations,
That God the Lord may honored be,
His wondrous strength and majesty
Attended by the nations.

3 A cov’nant He in Jacob made,
Ordained the Law to be obeyed,
And to neglect this never:
To children’s children this declare,
To all that have been born, now are,
And shall be hence forever!

4 That they their hope in God might set,
And nevermore God’s works forget,
But keep His bidding truly,
And be not as their fathers were,
Of whom it was lamented e’er,
They were a race unruly.

5 A generation faithless they,
Their heart was ever far astray,
In God their spirit doubted,
E’en as the sons of Ephraim
With arms and bows in battle grim
Turned back and soon were routed.

6 They to God’s cov’nant gave no heed,
They walked not as His Law would lead,
But strayed and went asunder;
Among them wholly was forgot
What God had manifestly wrought
By many_a work of wonder.

7 God to their fathers showed His hand
By marv’lous things in Egypt’s land,
He to the desert brought them,
The sea He parted, let them pass,
The waters stood like heaps of glass,
Dry passage to allot them.

8 He led them with a cloud by day
And in the night He showed the way
By light of fire bright-burning,
He clave the rocks and gave them drink
In desert lands, when none could think,
Yea, far above their yearning.

9 The water streams and rivers stirred
From solid rock when He gave word,
Into the valley flowing,
And yet their sins they still outpoured,
And angered and provoked their Lord,
While through the desert going.

10 They tempted God within their heart
And asked for meat to still their smart,
And spake with murm’ring faces:
Can God a table furnish then,
Has He such pow’r to feed these men
Within these desert places?
    
11 The rock, behold, was struck by God,
So that rivers overflowed,
Abundant water giving;
But while we in this place reside,
Can He give bread, and flesh provide,
By which we may be living?

12 All the the Lord their God must hear,
Whereat His wrath burned hot and clear
Because that generation
Would not in God their Lord believe,
Nor hope deliv’rance to receive
From Him in tribulation.

13 He also gave the clouds command,
Oped heaven’s doors upon the land,
And sent the manna raining.
A heav’nly bread for them he spread,
And man did eat the angels’ bread,
A belly full obtaining.

14 He caused an east wind then to blow
In heaven, and a south wind, lo!
He stirred up by His power.
As dust upon them flesh He rained,
And fowls as countless as the sand
Did wondrously make shower.

15 Among their camp He made them fall
And round about their dwellings all,
More than they were requiring;
So they did eat, and well were filled,
Then was their hunger wholly stilled.
He gave them their desiring.

16 Now when their yearning seemed complete,
While yet not swallowed was the meat,
The wrath of God then struck them,
And slew the fattest and the chief,
It smote in wrath without relief,
The chosen men, and took them.

17 For all these judgments they received,
None yet God’s wondrous works believed,
Nor would depart from sinning.
Therefore He let them perish hence,
And thus to lose th’ inheritance
Sworn them in the beginning.

18 Therefore their days were harder wrought,
And when God slew them, Him they sought,
And unto Him converted,
And early did their God pursue,
That He was their Redeemer true
And Rock they then asserted.

19 Yet was it all hypocrisy;
With tongues they lied all brazenly,
And with their mouths they flattered;
Their heart was never set on Him,
Their mind unsteady, senses dim,
The cov’nant-pledge they shattered.

20 And yet the Lord, with mercy filled,
Did not destroy these men self-willed,
But pardoned their transgression,
And often turned His wrath away,
Nor stirred it up to their dismay,
Such was His great compassion.
    
21 For He remembered flesh they were
And pass like winds that briefly stir,
And then their life is ended;
Therefore He let His wrath grow less,
Though often in the wilderness
They sorely Him offended.

22 They turned and tempted God anew,
The Holy One of Isr’el true,
Desiring thus to test Him;
Rememb’ring not His mighty hand,
Which saved them from the bondage-land,
Wherein the foe oppressed them.

23 By signs which He in Egypt wrought,
And wonders great in Zoan’s plot
God’s might was demonstrated,
He turned their water into blood
Throughout the land in every flood.
And no one’s thirst was sated.

24 Of pois’nous toads a mighty host
And vermin else throughout their coast
God sent them, to destroy them;
He did the caterpillar feed
On herbs, and locust on the seed,
And no man could defy them.

25 Their vineyard to the hail were lost,
Their sycamores to sleeting frost,
The cattle too were stricken
The hail and tempest came severe,
Hot thunderbolts did everywhere
The land with corpses thicken.

26 In wrath He evil angels sent
To rage in every house and tent,
Great woe and heartache bearing;
He to his anger made a way,
No soul from death and death’s dismay
Defending, nay, nor sparing.

27 To pestilence the beasts He gave,
And sent the firstborn to the grave,
In all th’ Egyptian nation;
In all the tents of Ham was heard
No greater grief in spirits stirred,
Than at that devastation.

28 The Lord, the faithful Shepherd, led
His people forth, like sheep they fled,
Their own land to inherit;
He led them safely, fearlessly,
The sea o’erwhelmed the enemy,
The rider both and chariot.

29 He brought them to the holy land
E’en to this mountain by His hand,
The foes from thence expelling,
Yea, God cast out the heathen thence,
Divided the inheritance
To serve for Jacob’s dwelling.

30 Yet they kept not His testament,
But tempted God and backward went,
And false was all their grieving.
Unfaithfully they Him despised
Again their fathers’ sins reprised,
And turned like bows deceiving.
    
31 To anger and to jealousy
They moved Him with idolatry,
By which their hearts were taken;
And therefore God in fury burned,
And Israel cast off and spurned,
And Jacob was forsaken.

32 That tent that He in Shiloh had
Forsaking, He took clean away,
His home and earthly heaven;
Their strength was turned to bonds of shame,
Their glory, splendor, pomp, and fame
To all their foes were given.

33 Then o’er His heritage the Lord
Was wroth, and gave them to the sword,
Their lives away were carried:
The fire consumed their youthful men,
Their maidens that could marry then
Must yet remain unmarried.

34 By sword the priests were also felled,
And fear their widows thence compelled,
They could not stay for mourning.
Therefore the Lord awakes from sleep,
Like as a mighty man doth leap
When from the wine returning.

35 He smote His foes, made them disperse,
Gave them eternal shame and curse,
And Joseph’s tent rejected,
Nor chose the tribe of Ephraim,
But Judah’s tribe, most dear to Him,
Mount Zion He selected.

36 His sanctuary built He there,
High like the earth, established e’er,
Eternally abiding;
Dear did He David’s service hold,
And took him from the shepherd’s fold,
When for the ewes providing.

37 He set him o’er His flock as well,
To feed his heirdom Israel,
In times of joy and sadness,
With faithfulness and careful pain;
To God’s own glory doth he reign,
And fills the land with gladness.

Translation © 2024 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Hör, mein Volck, mein Gesetz und Weiß,
Dein Ohren neig und merck mit Fleiß,
Was mein Mund sagt in sprüchen,
Ich will zu singen heben an
Und sagen, was ich weiß und kan
Von uhralten Geschichten.

2  Was uns die Väter haben gsagt,
sol auff die Kinder werden bracht
Und die so nach uns kommen,
Damit des HErren Ehr und Ruhm,
sein Wundermacht und herrlichs Thun
Auch von ihn'n werd vernommen.

3  Er richt in Jakob auff den Bund,
Gab das Gesetz, und machte kund,
Was man sol allzeit lehren,
Auff das mans wüst zu Kindeskind,
All die gewesen und noch sind,
Auch künfftig gboren werden.

4  Damit ihr Hoffnung stünd zu Gott
Und hielten fleissig sein Gebot,
Merckten auff seine Thaten
Und schlügen nicht den Vätern nach,
Von denen allzeit gieng die Klag,
Daß sie warn ungerathen.

5  Es war ein abtrünnige Art,
Der Hertz nie recht erfunden ward,
An Gott nie trewlich hielte,
Gleichwie die Kinder Ephraim,
Mit Harnisch und mit Bogen schlim,
Zur Zeit des streits abfielen.

6  Den Bund Gottes sie achten nicht,
Ihr Wandel war auch nicht gericht,
sein heiligs Gsetz zu halten,
Bei ihnen gantz vergessen war,
Was Gott gethan hat offenbar
Durch Wunder mannichfalte.

7  Durch Wunder Gott sich macht bekant
Den Vätern in Egyptenland,
Er bracht sie in die Wüsten,
Er theilt das Meer, ließ sie durchgehn,
Es must gleich wie ein Mawer stehn,
Durfft nicht zusammen fliessen.

8  Er leitet sie des Tages fort
In einer Wolck an alle Ort,
Des Nachts im Fewer helle,
Zerreiß die Felsen in der Wüst
Und träncket sie mit Wasse süß,
Daß er ihnn gab die Fülle.

9  Die Wasserström und frische Quell
Aus hartem Felß auff sein Befehl
Mußten gen Thal einfließen,
Noch fuhren sie in sünden fort,
ertzürneten Gott ihren Hort
Zum öfftern in der Wüsten.

10  Ihr Hertz versuchte Gott den Herrn,
Für ihre seel speiß zu begehrn,
Murrten sie mit den Worten:
Ja sollt es Gott wohl müglich sein,
Ein Tisch anrichten in gemein
An so gar wüsten Orten?
    
11  Er hat wohl eh den Felsen hart
Geschlagen, daß er wider Art
Wasser hat müssen geben,
Wo kan er aber nemen Brot
Und Fleisch zu essen an dem Ort,
Davon wir können leben?

12  solchs must der HErr, ihr Gott, anhörn,
Darob entbrannd sein grimmig Zorn,
Daß die Leut böser Arte
Nicht gleubeten an ihren Gott,
Hofften auff ihn nicht in der Noth,
Der Hülff sie nicht erwarten.

13  Er gab den Wolcken auch Befehl,
Thet auff des Himmels Thüren schnell,
Ließ Manna auff sie regnen
Und gab ihnen vom Himmel Brod,
Das Engelbrod sie assen fort,
Die Füll ihnen begegnet.

14  Er ließ herwehn von Ost geschwind
Unter dem Himmel, auch sudwind
Erregt er durch sein stercke,
Wie staub Fleisch regnet's hin und her,
Der Vögel viel wie sand am Meer
Mit grossem Wunderwercke.

15  Untr ihrem Lager allenthalb
Und da sie wohnten uberall
Fiel es für ihre Füsse,
Zu essen Fleisch ein jeder hat,
Und wurden davon alle satt,
Ihr Lust ließ er sie büssen.

16  Da nun die Lust gebüsset war
Und sies noch nicht verschlungen gar,
Kam unter sie Gotts Zorren
Und rieß die Fürnemsten dahin,
Er schlug in seinem Zorn und Grim
Die so die besten waren.

17  Noch war damit nichts ausgericht,
sie gleubten Gottes Wunder nicht
Und ließen nicht von sünden,
Drumb er sie auch hinsterben ließ,
Das Erbe so er ihnn verhieß,
Kunten ihr viel nicht finden.

18  Ihr Leblang wurden sie geplagt,
Da sie Gott würgt ihr Hertz gedacht,
Nun wollten sie umbkehren,
sie suchten frü Gott ihren Hort,
Der Höchste, ihr Erlöser, fort,
solt ihr Gebet erhören.

19  Doch war es nichts denn Heuchelei,
sie logn mit ihren Zungen frei
Aus einem falschen Munde,
Ihr Hertz nicht feste war an ihm,
Falsch war ihr Gmüt, unstet ihr sinn,
Wichen von Gottes Bund.

20  Dennoch der Herr barmhertzig war,
Vertilget sie nicht gantz und gar,
Vergab ihnen die sünde
Und wendet ab sein grossen Zorn,
Das er sie nicht must gar verstörn,
Er ließ sie Gnade finden.
    
21  Denn er gedacht daß sie Fleisch sind
Und fahren hin gleich wie der Wind,
Der nicht herwieder kehret.
Darumb den Zorn er fahren ließ,
Ob sie ihn offt gleich in der Wüst
Beleidigten gar schwere.

22  Gott sie versuchten stets auffs new,
Den Heilgen in Israel frei
Zu meistern sie begehrten,
Gedachten nicht an seine Hand,
so die Gefengnüß abgewand,
Drinn sie der Feind beschwerte.

23  Durch Zeichen in Egyptenland,
Zu Zoan Gottes Macht bekannd
Bewiesen hat groß Wunder,
Das Wasser ward in Blut verwand
In allen strömen durch das Land,
Niemand draus trincken kunte.

24  Giftige Kröten ein groß Heer
Und ander Ungeziefer mehr
schickt GOtt sie zu verderben,
Ihr Gwechs die Raupen frassen ab
Und die Hewschrecken alle saat,
Niemand kunt es erwehren.

25  Der Hagel schlug am stock den Wein
Und die schlossen die Maulberbewm,
Das Vieh wurd auch erschlagen
Vom Hagl und Ungewitter schwer,
Die strahlen fuhrn durchs Land daher,
Das Feld voll Todten lage.

26  Im Zorn er böse Engel sand,
Zu wüten, toben in dem Land,
Gros Hertzleid sie anrichten,
sein Zorn er immer fort ließ gehn,
Ihr seel in Todesangst must stehn,
Ihr wurd verschont mitnichten.

27  Das Vieh starb an der Pestilentz,
Es wurde in derselben Grentz
Die Erstgeburt erschlagen,
In gantz Egypten Mensch und Vieh,
In Hams Hütten erhort man nie
Mehr Jammer, Leid und Klagen.

28  Der HErr, als ein getrewer Hirt,
sein Volck gleich wie die schaff ausführt,
Zur Wüsten er sie leitet,
Er fuhrt sie sicher ohne Fahr,
Die Feind das Meer bedecket gar,
Da bleib Wagen und Reuter.

29  Zu diesem Berg ans heilig Land
Bracht er sie durch sein starcke Hand,
Den Feinden wurds genommen,
Gott trieb die Feind von Hoff zu Hauß,
Das Land zum Erbe theilt er aus,
Ließ Jacobs stämm drinn wohnen.

30  Noch hielten sie sein Zeugnüß nicht,
Versuchten Gott fielen zurück,
Ihr Buß war all erlogen,
Verachten alls auff frischer Fart
Nach ihrer bösen Väter Art,
Hielten wie lose Bogen.
    
31  Zu Zorn sie reitzten ohne schew
Den Höchsten durch Abgötterei,
Drinn sie kein Fleis nicht sparten,
Darumb auch Gott, im Zorn entbrant,
Verwarff Israels Volck zuhand,
Ließ Jacobs Hütten fahren.

32  Die Wohnung, die zu silo war,
Verließ er und verschlug sie gar,
Da Er zuvor gewohnet,
Ins Gfängnüs gab er ihre Macht,
Ihr Herrlichkeit, ihrn Ruhm und Pracht,
Feindshand must ihr nicht schonen.

33  Er war entbrant über sein Erb,
Darumb durchs schwerd er sie verderbt,
Im Zorn thet er auffreiben
Ihr stoltze Mannschaft jung von Jahrn,
Auch die Jungfrawn, so manbar warn,
Mustn ungefreiet bleiben.

34  Die Priester durchs schwerd kamen umb,
Ihr Widwen giengen schnell dahin,
Kunten sie nicht beweinen,
Darumb der HErr vom schlaff erwacht
Und wie ein starcker jauchtzt mit Macht,
Wenn er heimkompt vom Weine.

35  Die Feinde er in Hindern schlug,
Hengt an sie ewig schand und Fluch,
Verwarff auch Josephs Hütten,
Ephraim ward gesetzt hindan,
Der HErr erwehlet Judæ stam,
Der Berg Zion ihm liebet.

36  sein Heiligthumb er bawet wol
Wie ein Land, das fest stehen sol
Und bleibn zu ewign Zeiten,
Er wehlet David seinen Knecht,
Von schaffställen nahm er ihn weg,
Da er der seugling weidet.

37  Er setzet ihn über sein Volck,
Israels Erb er weiden solt,
Er weidet sie mit Trewen,
Mit aller Trew und grossem Fleiß
Regiert er sie zu Gottes Preiß,
Darob das Land sich frewet.