Wo Gott nicht selbst das Haus auffricht

Here is my translation of the psalm paraphrase, “Wo Gott nicht selbst das Haus auffricht” (Burkard Waldis, d. ca. 1556), based on Psalm CXXVII, Nisi Dominus aedificaverit, with a proper melody provided by Waldis himself, which is also noted in Kümmerle’s Encyclopedia. This psalm in particular is significant as the first known by Waldis, printed significantly earlier than his psalter in the appendix to his shrovetide play on the prodigal son, Der Verlorene Sohn (Riga, 1527), where his Lutheran ideas are already on clear display, having been inspired in part by his fateful trip to Rome (like Luther) and especially Luther’s 1523 letter to Livonia with its famous exposition of the same Psalm CCXVII. Luther declines, in the letter, to provide his own translation of the hymn, preferring to leave it to the better hymnwriter, as he calls the Holy Spirit (perhaps he did not occasion or inspiration to do it); Waldis readily took up the task in Low German. In 1553 he published the form given below in High German and expanded by one stanza.

IF God make not the house to stand
Nor with all things regale us,
It cannot happen by our hand:
All strength and wisdom fail us.
All care and toil shall be in vain;
Unless God’s help with us remain,
All labor shall be wasted.

2 If God keep not the city sure
Nor build both wall and tower,
No coin shall help, nor is a cure
Found in man’s wit and power.
If God refuse to the watch the lot,
All guards and watching are for naught,
All cunning arts must falter.

3 So take ye note and well discern,
Who live all unbelieving:
Who early rise your bread to earn:
He will not thus be giving!
It falls to them that Him do fear,
In sleep, without all toiling drear,
His grace alone awaiting.

4 As heirs we have from God the Lord
The children that He sendeth;
To whom He will He doth award
Such gifts, nor falsely lendeth;
All things are by His blessing filled,
By Him are thirst and hunger stilled,
From very grace and mercy.

5 As arrows in the warrior’s pow’r
When he to battle goeth,
And where he aims, he makes them shower,
What time and place he knoweth,—
So are all men, both young and old,
Within God’s pow’r to have and hold,—
For all He well provideth.

6 So let us trust upon His Word
And to His hands be looking:
He will remain our saving Lord,
Nor shall our shame be brooking,
But will our larder well supply
Then shall we have the victory,
Much to our foes’ displeasure.

¶ To Christ, who this for us hath win,
Let us give adoration—
True God and Man, God’s very Son,
Who died for man’s salvation;
And thanking Him eternally
Within His holy church, may we
His praise ring out forever!

Translation © 2024 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Wo Gott nit selb das Hauß auffricht,
Und schafft all ding darinne,
Da ists mit uns nit außgericht,
Verlorn ist sterck und sinne,
All müh und sorg vergebens geht,
Wo Gottes hilff nit bei uns steht,
all arbeyt ist verloren.

2 Wo Gott nicht selb bewart die Statt,
Und bawt all thürn und thore:
Da hilfft keyn gelt, noch menschen rath,
All sterck und macht verloren.
Wo Gott nicht hat zu wachen lust,
Da ist all hut und wacht umb sust,
All kunst und list muß fallen.

3 Darumb merckt auff und sehts wol an,
Die ir on glauben leben:
Ewr brot suchen mit frü auffstan,
Er wils also nicht geben,
Die in förchten, den fellt es zu
Im schlaff on alle not und müh,
Die seiner gnad erwarten.

4 Des leibes frucht, und menschen kind,
Schenckt uns Gott selb zum Erbe:
Er gibts zu lon, wem ers nur günt,
Und leßt niemandt verderben.
Mit segen Er all ding erfüllt,
Durch in wirt hunger, durst gestillt,
Auß rechter gnad und güte.

5 Die pfeil sind in des Risen macht,
Wann er wil gehn zu streiten:
Er scheußt sie wo er hin gedacht,
Zu rechter stett und zeitten.
So sind all menschen jung und alt
In GOttes macht und seiner gwalt,
Er will sie all versorgen.

6 Drumb laß uns trawen auff sein wort,
Und sehn auff seine Hande:
Er wirt uns helffen hie und dort,
Wir werden nicht zu schanden.
Den Köcher Er uns füllen wil,
So haben wir gewonnen spil,
Vor unsern feinden allen.

¶ Dafür wir dancken Christo fron,
Der uns solchs hat erworben:
Er ist war Gott, und Gottes Son,
Für menschen mensch gestorben,
Des wir im ewig danckbar sein,
In seiner heylgen CHristen gmein,
Sein lob allzeit erschallen.