Mein Seel erhebt den Herren

Canticle LXXVIII. Mary the Most Blessed Virgin and Mother of God’s Song of Praise and Beautiful Psalm of Thanksgiving,
the Dear Magnificat, Luke 1.

¶ In this psalm Mary brings together all that the entirety of Scripture testifies to concerning God’s will, words, and works, His counsels and deeds. She praises and glorifies firstly God’s grace and mercy, then His power and omnipotence; thirdly, His truth and faithfulness; she demonstrates this firstly with her own example, secondly with the great wondrous works which God unceasingly performs to all men in grace with respect to the fearful, miserable and poor, and in turn in wrath on the proud, mighty, and rich; and finally shown, to the particular and lofty benefit of the people of Israel, with the gracious visitation and sending of His Son Jesus Christ.

Mel.: Nun lob mein Seel den Herren.
 

MY soul now magnifieth
The Lord; my spirit in my God
And Savior joyful crieth,
Who hath His grace on me bestowed,
Looked on His maid with favor,
Nor scorned her low estate,
Now blessing shall forever
Be mine from low and great
In every generation,
For what my God hath done
Shall be a consolation
To comfort everyone.

2 For He that is almighty
Hath done such wondrous things to me,
Therefore I sing forthrightly
His holy name, His mercy free,
Enduring in distresses
From age to age the same
On him who Him confesses,
And in true faith doth claim,
Strength with His arm He showeth,
The proud all scattering,
To stop the heart that goeth
In vain imagining.

3 He putteth down the mighty
And princes from their seats of pow’r,
But those regarded lightly
He doth exalt and bring to flow’r.
The hungry well He filleth,
The rich sends empty hence,
All mercy to us willeth,
All grace He doth dispense,
To help all them that claim Him,
As once an oath He spake
For all the seed of Abr’ham
And never shall forsake.

Text: C. Spangenberg, 1582.
Translation © 2025 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Mein Seel erhebt den Herren
und mein Geist höchlich freuet sich
Gottes meins Heilands gerne
denn er hat ganz genädiglich
mich seine Magd angesehen
in meim großen Elend,
von nun an wirds geschehen,
daß mich preisen behend
selig all Kindes Kinde,
denn was Gott hat gethan
an mir wird sich befinden
zu Trost eim jedermann.

2 Denn er hat große Dinge
an mir gethan, der mächtig Gott.
Zu Lob ich ihm solchs singe,
sein Nam ist heilig, und in Noth
sein Barmherzigkeiet währet
stets immer für und für,
bei denen die bekehret
ihn fürchten nach Gebühr,
er übt mit seinem Arme
Gewalt, zerstreuet hin
all Hoffart ohn Erbarmen
in ihres Herzens Sinn.

3 Er stößt grimmig hernieder
alle Gewaltigen vom Stuhl,
die Elenden hinwieder
erhebt er aus dem Koth und Pfuhl,
die Hungrigen er füllet
und läßt die Reichen leer,
barmherzglich er uns duldet,
der Gnaden denket er,
hilft auf sein Dienern allen,
wie er hat zugesagt
Abrahams Kindern allen,
ewig es ihm behagt.