Wohl dem, der lebt in Gottesforcht

Here is my translation of the psalm paraphrase, “Wohl dem, der lebt in Gottes Forcht” (Burkard Waldis, d. ca. 1556), based on Psalm CXXVIII, Beati omnes qui timunt Dominum, with title: “A teaching that God will give His blessing in all their substance to those who fear Him” and proper melody by Waldis. The first part of the meter resembles that of “Mit Fried und Freud” but resolves to follow the pattern ABABCCX.

 

BLEST, he that lives in godly fear,
God’s will obeying,
And hears His Word with eager ear,
Keeping His saying.
The Lord will grant him every need
And shall him feed
By his own hands and labor.

2 His wife most fruitfully will bear,
In kindness living,
Like as a vine on branches fair
Great clusters giving,
And children crowd his table round,
All hale and sound,
Like graceful olive branches.

3 Behold, thus God the man shall bless
In Him confiding,
The faithful leaves in no distress,
His needs providing;
The Lord with good his house shall fill,
From Zion’s hill,
And ever will direct him.

4 He will see great prosperity
Isr’el befalling:
The favor of the Lord will he
His own be calling,
For He his seed and heritage
From age to age
Shall keep in God abiding.

¶ For this the church shall thank and own
God now and ever,
The Father in His heav’nly throne,
The Son, our Savior,
The Holy Ghost, true God and Lord,
Who by the Word
To us hath this revealèd!

Translation © 2024 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Wol dem der lebt in Gottesforcht,
Nach seinem willen,
Auff rechtem weg seim wort gehorcht,
Das zuerfüllen,
Dem wirt der HERRE gnug beschern,
Und sol sich nehrn
Der arbeyt seiner hende.

2 Es wirt sein weib gantz fruchtbar sein,
Und freundtlich leben:
Gleich eim weinstock vol trauben fein,
An schönen reben,
Und seine kind umb seinen Tisch
Frölich und frisch
Gleich wie die Olizweige.

3 Sih, also segnet Gott den man,
Der im vertrawet:
Leßt in keyn not noch mangel han,
Wer auff in bawet,
Vom HERRN wirt im der segen schon,
Auch auß Zion
Wirt er sein ewig walten.

4 Er wirt sehen groß glück unmd heyl,
Uber Israel:
Des HERREN gunst wirt im zu theyl,
Mit freuden viel,
Daß Er sein gschlecht zu kindes kind
Sein lebtag sind,
So wirt in Gott erhalten.

¶ Dafür sol ewig danckbar sein
Die Christlich gmein:
Gott Vatter in seim höchsten thron,
Und seinem Son,
Dem heylgen geyst und waren Gott,
Der uns solchs hat
Durchs Wort wölt offenbaren.