In Gott gelaub ich, daß er hat

From Etlich Christlich Lieder, here is my translation of “In Gott gelaub ich, daß er hat” (Speratus, 1524), one of the early creedal hymns. While following the Nicene creed more closely than Luther’s shorter reworking of the medieval creedal hymn “Credimus in unum Deum,” it was soon thereafter omitted from Lutheran hymnals, perhaps because its style was considered too artful with its free use of internal rhyme (even quadruple rhyme) typical of Speratus, or because Luther viewed the familiar tune of the medieval hymn more advantageous and memorable. At the bottom, I include, below the German variant text (with some modernizations, such as an emendation to the original allusion to the release of the patriarchs from hell), is a three-stanza paraphrase by Coverdale, which ignores the complexities of the rhyme scheme.

IN ONE / true God I trust alone,
Who wrought
From nothing earth and heaven;
By none / shall my faith be undone,
By naught
From His defense be driven:
At ev’ry hour / His is the pow’r,—
He reigns above all other,
Yet bids us call Him Father,
Though foes contest, / He is my rest,
Sin, death, and hell / Must fall as well,
Though all force against Him bringing.
O Lord my God!
How gladly my heart is springing!

2. His Son / Christ Jesus, too, I own
And trust,
Conceived by th’ Holy Spirit,
Alone / whose birth no sin hath known;
Our dust
He filled with noble merit:
Was made true Man, / Born without stain
Of Mary, virgin tender,
God’s Son, our sole defender,
By sinless birth / To bring the earth
Atonement for / Our birth impure,
Access to the Father’s glory,
O Lord my God!
Who then would not come before Thee?

3. Therefore, / That He might so restore
All men,
He to the cross submitted;
Naught more / Could quench death’s hatred sore;
Yea, then
His grace all men acquitted;
Where, wrapped and laid / In tomb new-made,
The sins of all were buried,
There my sins, too, were carried!
My good He sought, / Nor of His thought;
His favor see! / How freely He
Deigns to give us this salvation!
O Lord my God!
Now surely I’m Thy possession!

4. To hell / He did descend as well,
For me,
That I might rise to heaven;
So fell / the gates before His spell,
When He
The fathers’ bonds had riven:
He broke the hold / of Satan old,
And led the triumph glorious,
His blood outpouring for us,
There is no fear / left for us here,
The devil can / harm not a man,
He has become a captive ever
O Lord my God,
Who would not long for Thy favor?

5. Although / Death gave Him such a blow,
Entombed
It could not always hold Him.
For lo! / The third day sees Him go
Exhumed
As glory doth enfold Him;
He takes His throne / To rule His own,
And guide by Word and Spirit;
And grants me when I hear it,
To trust also, / and not let go—
My comfort’s here, / salvation dear,—
With Him now I am arisen,
O Lord my God,
Preserve my soul from death’s prison!

6. Then He / with blessing full and free
Arose
And into heav’n acended;
Promptly / to_th’ seat of Majesty
He goes,
The King eternal, splendid:
He is alone / my hope, I own;
I’ll seek no other savior,
For then I’d perish ever.
When woes invade, / who seeks for aid
From anyone / but God alone
Must abide in wrath forever.
O Lord my God!
They perish whom He helps never.

7. From thence / He’ll come, and so commence
The day
Of Judgment. None ignore Him!
All sense / All flesh, must then go hence
And lay
Their ev’ry work before Him.
Alive or dead, / both good and bad—
His judgment shall be made then,
And no excuse will aid then.
“Come unto me, / My saints are ye!”
Or “Go ye, go! / I am your foe.”
Thus will be His sentence given.
O Lord my God!
In mercy send us to heaven!

8. I trust / in God, the Holy Ghost,
One God
With Father, Son, eternal;
They must / confounded lie in dust,
Who would
Not trust this God supernal:
O Holy Ghost, / Of all things most
Grant grace, rouse, lead, enlighten!
Throught Christ, in Christ, us brighten,
Make us to live / Chaste spirits give,
That we in Thee / may eagerly
Give the name of God due glory.
O Lord my God!
In faith let us walk before Thee!

9. This too / one must believe as true,
And own:
One Church, God’s dear creation:
Though few, / abides in grace, made new,
The lone
True harbor of salvation,
Unsevered by / The devil sly,
One baptism her possession,
Forgiveness of transgression;
Also, this flesh / shall rise afresh
To endless life / beyond this strife,
Where abundant bliss is granted.
O Lord my God!
Let us be yonder transplanted!

Translation © 2011, 2017 Matthew Carver. All rights reserved.

GERMAN

1. In Gott  / gelaub ich, daß er hat
aus nichts
geschaffen Himmel und Erde
Kein Noth / mag mir zu fügen Spott,
er sicht,
daß er mein Bschützer werde.
Zu aller Frist,
allmächtig ist,
sein Gwalt muß man bekennen,
läßt sich ein Vater nennen,
trotz wer mir thu, / der ist mein Ruh,
Tod, Sünd und Hell, / kein Ungefell,
wider diesen Gott kan bringen,
O Herre Gott, für Freuden mein Herz thut springen.

2. Auch ist / mein Glaub an Jesum Christ,
sein Sohn,
vom heilgen Geist empfangen
Gerüst / widr all Sünden und List,
wollt stahn
darum ist er ausgegeangen.
Von edler Art, / der Jungfrau zart,
Maria hat geboren,
den Sohn Gotts auserkoren,
daß er auch mein / und jedem sein
Empfängnis und / Geburt macht gsund,
sollt ein Weg zum Vater bauen,
O Herre Gott,
wem wollt für dir immer grauen?

3. Auch daß / er leid dadurch genaß
all Welt
am Kreuz ist willig gstorben:
Nit baß  / mocht werden Todes Haß
ab[g]stellt
denn hie ist Gnad erworben.
Er war gelegt / im Grab bedeckt
dardurch all Sünd begraben,
den Nutz den soll ich haben,
such nicht das sein, / sonder das mein
erkenn sein Gunst,  / daß er umsonst,
solch Gnad hat wollen zeigen,
O Herre Gott,
nun bin ich gwiß gar dein eigen.

4. Zur Hell, / nieder gestiegen schnell,
für mich
da ich darein nit fare
Ihr Stell, / zubracht mit starker Schwell,
mit sich
nam er der väter Schare
Dadurch mit Gewalt,  / der Schlangen kalt
hat er die Macht verstöret
darum sein Blut veröhret,
kein Forcht mehr sei  / uns allen bei
der Teufel kann  / nicht Schaden thun,
denn er ist ewig gefangen,
O Herre Gott,
wem wollt nach dir nicht verlangen?

5. Wiewohl  / der Tod hat ihn einmal
verschlickt,
noch kund er ihn nicht halten:
Gwalts voll,  / am dritten Tag nun soll
erquickt
ihn sein verklärte Gstalte.
Ein König frohn  / in seinem Thron,
im Geist sein Volk regieren,
das soll mein Glaub berühren,
und hangen dran / ohn Abelohn,
er ist mein Trost, / mein Heil es kost
mit ihm bin ich auferstanden,
O Herre Gott, behüt mich vor Todes Banden.

6. Auf fuhr  / nach wahrem Gottes schwur
von hinn
gen Himmel ans Vaters Seiten
sitzt zur  / Gerechten an der Kuhr,
vernimm:
ein König in ewig Zeiten.
Er steht für mich, / dasselb glaub ich,
soll niemand anders suchen,
daß mich nicht treff der Fluche.
Wer suchet Rath / in seiner Noth
denn nur allein / von Gott muß sein
ewiglich in seinem Zoren,
O Herre Gott, wenn du nicht hilfst, ist verloren.

7. Von dann / als ich nicht Zweifel han
er würd
am Jüngsten Tag herkommen
muß stahn, / für ihm mit seinem Thun
herfür
der Böß und auch der fromme
tot, lebendig / im Augenblick
er wird uns alle richten,
da hilft nicht Ausred tichten,
kommt her zu mir, / Erwählten ihr!
Geht weit dorthin, / denn ich Feind bin
also wird er Urtheil fellen,
O Herre Gott, erbarm dich für diesem Stellen.

8. Glauben / muß ich in heiligen
Geist, Gott
dem Vater gleich und Sohne:
Wer denn / in ihm wird nicht haben,
leidt Spott,
denn deß wird Gott nicht schonen.
O heiliger Geist,  / uns Gnaden leist,
erweck, leit und erleuchte,
durch und in Christo feuchte,
schaff lebendig / im Gemüth heilig,
daß wir in dir / mit Herzen gier
Gottes großen Namen ehren,
O Herre Gott, den Glauben wöllst in uns mehren.

9. Das soll / man auch gelauben wohl,
ein Kirch,
im Geist muß man sie kennen,
Gott holdt  / der Gnaden reichlich voll,
nicht fürcht,
daß sie der Teufel trenne.
Heilig Gemein, / die hat allein
Vergebung aller Sünde,
der Fried ist Gottes Kinden,
zuletzt behend / des Fleischs Urständ
ein Leben frei / das ewig sei,
dort in jener Welt voll Freuden,
O Herre Gott, verleih uns auch diese Weide.

COVERDALE (abridged paraphrase)

1. In God I trust, for so I must;
He hath made heaven and earth also;
My Father is he, his chylde am I;
My conforte he is, I have no mo:
In all my nede he maketh me spede;
His powre is with me alwaye,
To keepe me every daye.
There is no evell can have his wyll
Agaynst my health nor yet my wealth,
But it muste come to my furtheraunce.
He is my kynge, that ruleth all thyngo;
The devell can make no hynderaunce.

2. So do I trust on Jesu Christ,
His Sonne conceaved of the Holy Goost
Borne of Marye a virgin fre
For all my synnes to paye the cost.
For deed was he and buried truely;
The gates of hell hath ho broken,
And heaven hath he made open.
He rose truely the thyrde daye fre;
He went up ryght to the Father of myght;
And shall apeare at domes-daye:
For judge shall he all the worlde truely,
And dryve myne enemyes all awaye.

3. I also truste on the Holy Goost,
Lyke the Father and Sonne in Trenité;
My conforth best in all evell rest,
In all my nede my chefest remedie.
A Church holy I beleve truely,
Which is but one generall:
For synne can it never fall;
A company of sayncts they be. 

Of synfulnesse true forgyvenesse

Is from amonge them never.

Our fleshe verely shall ryse in glory;

So shall we lyve with God for ever.

Festum nunc celebre / Christo Gott dem Herren

Here is my translation of the old Ascension hymn for evening, Festum nunc celebre (Rhabanus Maurus Magnentius, d. 856), formerly sung throughout German-speaking lands, and retained by Lutherans in their earlier hymnals in the original Latin as well as German. The melody is the proper, as given inter alia in Lossius 1553. I include below my translation the Latin along with the German rendering by Paul Speratus. Among others who provided a translation to this enduring hymn was Valentin Triller, a well accomplished hymnwriter in his own right, also provided a translation. That will be examined after this.

Note in particular the interesting meter, composed of three Asclepiads followed by a Glyconic. I have attempted to preserve this accentually rather than metrically. Each stanza consists of three staves thus: x x / u u /   / u u / u / ; the final line thus: x x / u u / u / . The Latin has no evident rhyme scheme, and Speratus' translation, which is relatively early, has rhyme but no regular scheme. I have chosen the scheme ABABCCC.

NOW THE feast-day renowned, / Plenteous in joy, doth move / Swelling hearts to resound, / Mouths their anthems to prove;— / When o’er summits unknown / Up to the peerless throne / Passed our Advocate Christ alone.
2.  Shouting round Him reply / Through the unclouded rays / Saints unnumbered on high, / Blending their songs of praise / From the least to the most / With all the angel host, / Of the Victor’s acclaim to boast.
3.  He who, scaling the height, / Captive the captor led, / Countless spoils of the fight / Over the earth-born spread,— / Yea, who comes again, / Zealous to judge all men, / Now goes tenderly to His reign.
4.  We beseech Thee, O Lord, / Maker of great renown, / Watch Thy servants and guard, / Be Thou our Shield and Crown, / Lest the foe in his wrath / Draw us from heaven’s path / Or else drown us in depths of death.
5.  When with fire on the cloud / Thou Thy return shalt make, / Hidden things to unshroud, / Vengeance on sins to take, / Judge us then not as due; / Lord, for Thy grace we sue: / Our petition in mercy view.
6.  Hear, Good Father, our sigh, / With Thy beloved Son / Reigning ever on high, / And with the Spirit One; / Glorious God, unto Thee, / Trinity, ever be / Laud and praise for eternity. Amen.
Translation © 2013 Matthew Carver.

LATIN — Rabanus Maurus [Alt. Magdeburg 1613]

1. Festum nunc celebre magnaque gaudia
compellunt animos carmina promere,
cum Christus solium scandit ad arduum
caelorum pius arbiter.

2. Conscendit jubilans, laetus ad aethera,
Sanctorum populus praedicat inclitum,
Concinit pariter Angelicus chorus   [Plaudentes celebrant…]
Victoris boni gloriam.   [Victoris quoque…]

3. Qui scandens superos, vincula vinxerat,
Donans terrigenis munera plurima
Districtus rediet arbiter omnium,
Qui mitis modo transiit.

4. Oramus Domine, Conditor inclite,
Devotos famulos respice, protege:
Ne nos livor edax dæmonis obruat,
Demergat vel inferos

5. Ut cum flammivoma nube reverteris,
Occulta hominum pandere judicans:   [Ut judex hominum crimina vindices]
Ne des supplicia horrida noxiis:   [Ne nos suppliciis obrue tristibus,]
Sed justis bona præmia    [Sed complectere gratia.]

6. Præsta hoc Genitor optime, maxime   [Praestes…]
Hoc tu Nate Dei: et bone Spiritus,   […gnate Dei Tu bone…]
Regnans perpetuo fulgida Trinitas
Per cuncta pie sæcula. Amen.  [Aeternum venerabilis.]

GERMAN — SPERATUS

1. Christo Gott dem Herren
sing wir von Herzen-Grund,
den die Wolken aufnahm
sichtiglich zu der Stund,

als er aufsteig zu seim
und unserm Vater Gott,

der alle Ding zu richten hat.

2. Damit hat er die Erd
und all Himmel erfreut,

das durch ihn zum Vater
kommen mag, wer ihm gläubt;

sonst niemand steig hinauf,
dan der herab gesand,

und den durch ihn zeucht Gottes Hand.

3. Er hat die Gefängnis
gefangen genommen

als er steig zum Vater,
von dann wird er kommen,

zu richten nach seim Wort
all lebendig und tot,

wie er uns selbst bezeuget hat.

4. O Herr, wir bitten dich,
den Schöpfer aller Ding,

den Glauben in uns mehr
der die Frücht der Lieb bring,

das wir nachsteigen dir;
ohn dein Hilf sinken wir;

das Werk deiner Händ schreit zu dir,

5. Daß dein herrlich Zukunft
erschreck uns Armen nicht,

wann du mit dein Selgen
sitzen wirst das Gericht,

da vor deim Angesicht
alles wird offenbar,

was hie der Menschen Danken war.

6. Gib Gott, heilger Vater,
mit Christo, deinem Sohn,

das wir durch deinen Geist
mit unsers Herzen-Wonn

zu Dir aufsteigen stet
im Geist und der Wahrheit,

des lob wir dich in Ewigkeit. Amen.

Hilf Gott, wie ist der Menschen Noth

Here is my translation of the old hymn "Hilf Gott, wie ist der Menschen Noth" (P. Speratus, 1524). This lesser known hymn is somewhat complex in structure in comparison with hymns of the latter centuries. It boasts of two internal rhymes in lines 1 and 3 which all match, making a sum of four syllables sharing the same rhyme, (stanza 1: God - broad; body - flawed) besides the end rhymes (grim - dim). It is essentially a paraphrase of Psalm 2, with much the same spirit as Luther's paraphrase of Psalm 46. It is especially fit for Reminiscere. Ludecus appoints it for Septuagesima, Invocavit, Reminiscere, Oculi, Lætare, and Trinity XX. The melody is the proper as found in Babst (1545) and Layriz' Kern... (Thanks to Sean Daenzer).

Another melody, here as it is given in the Nurnberg hymnal (1580):

1. Oh, God, man’s ruin is so broad and grim!
Who can its limits measure?
His body dead, his thinking flawed and dim;
His ignorance his pleasure.
His heart and mind / Are bound and blind,
His members all infected,
And ever misdirected;
No good he knows, / Much less he does,
As God commands; / Stiff-necked, he stands
Fighting God’s good pleasure blindly:
O Lord and God, from this sorrow save us kindly!

2. No rest he finds on earth; this quest of his
Can garner no salvation.
Oppressed by sin’s great weight, hell’s guest he is;
God, end his tribulation!
We all cry out / In pain and doubt
To Thee of greatest merit,
Thou canst lift up our spirit
And grant Thy grace, / Ere death we face—
Our common fate, / Then ’tis too late,
Thy good favor for to cherish;
O Lord and God, do not leave us thus to perish.

3. Oh how irate Thou wast, Thy brow, how dark,
When here Thy Word lay hidden!
Yet now will men not heed, avow or mark
Thy voice as Thou hast bidden,—
But fling it back! / Though churches lack
Not ears enough to hear it:
Thy plaint is that none fear it:
Far better ‘twere / If none did hear,
Than that they heard / And spurned the Word:
Oh what bitter castigation!
O Lord and God, make in us Thy new creation.

4. Oh shun us not, but through Thy Son grant grace,
On Whom Thy pleasure stayeth,—
The One who righteously hath run our race,
Who all our debt repayeth:
That we, set free / From misery,
And sprinkled by our Savior,
May ever find Thy favor:
Let anger go, / To judge be slow;
Our guilt efface, / And grant us grace:
We confess our errors! Take us,
O Lord and God, and Thy very children make us.

5. Because Thou hast with scarce a pause restored
Thy word to earth, to bless us,
Heal us anew whom Satan’s jaws have gored,
And of Thy love possess us;
All hangs on Thee, / This much we see;
Our own attempts are futile:
Thy wrath on us were brutal.
Behold us not, / Nor what we’ve wrought,
But in their place / Thy Word of grace:
Therefore He in flesh did hail us;
O Lord and God, let His saving death avail us.

6. O ye, His people, joyful be, and know
Ye are not thrust from heaven.
But see that ye not wantonly forego
This treasure He hath given.
It is His Word: / There stand assured;
This naught shall ever alter,
His might and wealth ne’er falter:
Who hath but Him / Shall all be giv’n ;
Do thou but trust, / Leave doubt in dust,
Hope in Him who rules the ages,
O Lord and God, ever let us sing Thy praises!

Translation © Matthew Carver, 2009.

GERMAN

1. Hilf Gott, wie ist der Menschen Noth so groß:
wer kann es alls erzählen!
Ganz todt liegt er, ohn allen Rath, weislos;
er kennt auch nicht sein Elend.
Herz, Muth und Sinn / ist gar dahin,
verderbt mit allen Kräften,
weiß nicht, wo ers soll heften;
kennt nicht das Gut, / noch minder thut,
was Gott gefällt / hat sich gestellt
wider allen Gottes Willen:
o Herre Gott, hilf uns diesen jammer stillen.

2. Nicht Rast findt er auf Erd; wie fast er sucht,
kein Macht will ihn doch retten.
Sein Last ihn als der Höllen Gast verflucht
ach Gott, hilf ihm aus Nöthen!
Wir rufen all aus diesem Qual
zu dir dem höchsten Gute:
du kannst uns geben Muthe
zu deiner Gnad, eh kommt der Tod,
der alls hin nimmt; da nicht mehr ziemt,
deiner Gnaden Huld erwerben.
o Herre Gott, laß uns nicht alsó verderben.

3. Ach, wie war nun dein Zoren hie so grimm,
da dein Wort lagn verborgen!
Nun sie wieder geben zu früh ihr Stimm;
denn niemand will ihr sorgen!* (achten)
man hört sie wohl, die Kirch ist voll;
noch wil sich niemand maßen:
der Zorn ist noch so große!
Viel besser wär gehört nimmer,
denn so man hört und nicht nach fährt:
ach, es ist ein grausam Strafe!
O Herre Gott, mach uns wieder neu erschaffen.

4. Sieh nun durch deinen lieben Sohn auf uns,
in dem dein Wohlgefallen;
der schon für uns hat gnug gethan, umsonst,
hat reichlich wollen zahlen,
daß wir gefreit von allem Leid
deinr Gnaden möchten gnießen;
sein Blut sollt uns entsprießen.
Laß Zoren nach, richt nicht so jach;* (schnell)
vergiß der Schuld, gieb uns dein Huld:
wir erkennen doch die Sünde.
O Herre Gott, nimm uns an für deine Kinder.

5. Dieweil du hast so kurzer Eil dein Wort
wieder gesandt auf Erden:
uns heil, von neu durchs Teufels Pfeil ermordt;
gieb, daß wir frömmer werden.
Es liegt an dir, das kennen wir;
mit uns ists gar verloren:
wir stehn in deinem Zoren.
Nicht sieh uns an, noch unser Thun;
sieh an dein Wort der Gnaden Hort:
darum ist es Mensch geworden.
O Herre Gott, für uns laß es sein gestorben.

6. Freu dich mit großer Zuversicht, sein Volk:
er wird dich nicht verschmähen.
Nur sieh, wie du nicht gar vernichten sollt
den Schatz, den er hat geben.
Es ist sein Wort: darauf steh hart;
es mag uns nicht ausweichen,
sein Kraft ist also reiche:
wem ers beschert, da wirds gemehrt;
nur glaub daran, laß Zweifel stan,
hoff in den, der ist dort oben.
O Herre Gott, von uns sei dir ewig Lobe!

JOHN WEDDERBURN’s “Translation” (Really just a translation of Psalm 2; Normalized spelling):

1. What is the cause, O God omnipotent,
That all nations commoved are so sore?
The kings and the people with one consent,
Resist Thee, Thy power and Thy glory. (gloire)
That strive again Thy law aye more and more,
And contrare Christ Thy Son whom Thou hast sent
To save all men that will on Him depend.

2. They will not be reformed from their sin,
But will remain blinded in ignorance,
And will not thole to lock Thy law within,
But cast it away with great grievance:
Thy counsel they refuse and governance,
And following their own heart’s conceit,
Every man draws a sundry gate.

3. But Thou, O God, in heaven into Thy ring,
Thou makest all their counsels every one,
What they intend, that shall they never bring
To final end; for Thy wisdom alone
Their pregnant wits shall scorn, and anon,
In Thy great ire, Thou shalt them sore reprove,
And from Thy face Thou shalt them quite remove.

4. For God hath set a captain stark and wight,
Christ His own Son, God and man natural,
On Mount Zion to rule it just and right,
That is to say, His Church universal,
To teach His Father’s Word celestial:
His godly will and pleasure for to show,
Instructing all the world into His law.

5. God said to Him, “Thou art my Son and heir,
I Thee begat, forever and this day,
Thy death purchased victory preclair,
Since from the dead Thou ris’t, to ring for aye,
My chosen in Thee shall not come to decay,
Who truly trusts in Thy godly name,
Shall never die eternally I plane.

6. My Son, I will Thee give all nations
In heritage, and put them in Thy cure: (care)
To rule them with Thy ministrations,
And prove them with the Cross at Thy pleasure,
To purge their fleshly lust, and make them pure,
And for to raise their minds spiritual,
To praise Thy name now and perpetual.

7. Herefore Kings and Rulers now beware,
Advert till God’s Word and discipline.
Receive His Son, above all things prefer
His godly Word, and keep well His doctrine:
Learn Him to dread, and trust in till Him sine,
Which is the true worship and righteousness,
That God requires of mankind more and less.

8. Receive therefore His sweet correction,
That He no more with you offended be;
Before your eyes with true affection,
And in your heart ye have Him idently.
Obey His law, for when grieved is He,
Then who dare His just judgment abide
Blessed are they, which on Him do confide.