Ich trau auf Gott zu aller Zeit

Here is my translation of the hymn, “Ich trau auf Gott zu aller Zeit” (J. Olearius, 1671), from the author’s Singekunst, for Laetare. The assigned melody in that book (in which a number melodies are unfortunately unfit for the texts) is “Erschienen ist,” but the meter is properly 88.99, but with contraction of the final syllables it can be made to fit LM. I have therefore constructed the translation so as to fit either meter, with the Jacobean -eth being contracted to -s as required. The classic 88.99 melody is “Old 9th” (Geneva Psalm 9), which, perhaps significantly, like “Erschienen ist,” begins with three notes on the same pitch and then leaps up a fifth (in the first examples here, both D D D A). Melodies for the meter were later composed by Hintze and perhaps S. Bach.

Mel.: Erschienen ist der herrlich Tag;

Or: Ich will dich Herr von Herzensgrund
Or: Auf, auf, die rechte Zeit ist hier.

 

 

I TRUST in God at every hour,

Who ready stands to help with pow’r.

My God of few soon many maketh,

And in all things to help awaketh.

2 However hard th’ adversity

I here must bear by land or sea,

I know that God all ills amendeth,

And in all things with help attendeth.

3 He who doth in His Word to me

Proclaim such works of majesty

Doth teach me that He hath the power

To help e’en in the direst hour.

4 Oft reason saith with sense untrue:

“Among so many what are few?”

Yet God of few soon many maketh,

And from all ill great good awaketh.

5 Since Jesus is the God-Man true,

Who soon makes many out of few,

My comfort’s this: He soon amendeth

And in all things with help attendeth.

Translation © 2026 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Ich trau auf Gott zu aller Zeit,

der mir zu helfen stets bereit,

mein Gott kann viel aus wenig machen,

schafft Hülf und Rath in allen Sachen.

2 Wär noch so schwer der Unglücksstand

bei mir, zu Wasser und zu Land,

so weiß ich doch, Gott wirds wohl machen,

und helfen allen meiner Sachen.

3 Der solche große Wunder mir

in seinem Wort läßt halten für,

lehrt mich, daß ers noch kann gut machen,

wenn sich verwirren alle Sachen.

4 Vernunft verrückt gar oft das Ziel,

spricht, was soll wenig unter viel?

Doch kann Gott viel aus wenig machen,

und bessern alle böse Sachen.

5 Weil denn nun Jesus ist der Mann,

der viel aus wenig machen kann,

bleibt dies mein Trost: Er wirds wohl machen,

und helfen allen meinen Sachen. Amen.