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Chapter 51Haberm.1.51

Abendsegen am Sonnabend

Shelter Under His Wings

The prayer begins by seeking God's protection and refuge against the terrors of the night.

Praise be to you, most high and immortal God; praise be to your gentle kindness and mercy; praise be to your eternal wisdom and truth—you who have guarded me this day from all harm and evil. I ask you to finish in mercy the kindness you have begun in me, and tonight also let me rest under your highest shelter, and cover me with your wings.✦1 Let my confidence rest under the shadow of your arms, so that I fear no harm. Guard me, my God, as the apple of your eye; shelter me under the shadow of your wings.✦ Lord, you are my good and my inheritance; my salvation is in your hands.✦✦2 Help me by your kindness, so that fear and trembling do not come upon me, and the terror of the night does not overwhelm me.✦✦ Be merciful to me, for my soul trusts in you, and under the shadow of your wings I have taken refuge.✦ I seek the Lord in my distress; my hand is stretched out by night and does not let go.✦3

A Midnight Cry for Mercy

The petitioner reflects on God's faithfulness and confesses sins committed throughout the week.

For my soul has no other comfort, and I know of no helper in heaven or on earth except you alone.✦ At midnight, when I wake, I remember your name—how lovely it is—and the goodness and faithfulness you have shown me, and I thank you for the right hand of your righteousness.✦✦4 When I am distressed, I think of God; when my heart is in anguish, I speak of my Savior. For he leads my soul out of destruction and rescues me from the bonds of death.✦ Lord God, my Savior, I cry to you day and night, that you would forgive me all the wrongs I have done against you this week and today.✦5 O Lord, save my soul for the sake of your mercy. You are gracious and just, and our God is merciful.✦ The Lord protects the simple-hearted.✦6

Resting in the Hands of God

The prayer concludes with a peaceful surrender of body and soul into God's hands for the night.

When I am laid low, he helps me up.✦ Therefore I will be glad, and I will praise and exalt you on my bed.✦ For the time of my life will rise for me like noonday, and the darkness will be a bright morning for me, and I will take comfort in this: that you, God, are my hope and rest in life and in death.✦ I will lie down, and no one will frighten me.✦✦ So now I commit my body and soul into your hands, O faithful God; you have redeemed me through Jesus Christ, our Lord.✦✦7 Amen.

Read the original Latin

Lob sei dir, du höchster und unsterblicher Gott, Lob sei deiner milden Güte und Barmherzigkeit, Lob sei deiner ewigen Weisheit und Wahrheit, der du mich diesen Tag vor allem Schaden und Übel behütet hast. Ich bitte dich, du wollest deine Güte, so du an mir angefangen hast, gnädiglich vollenden, und mich heint diese Nacht auch lassen ruhen unter deinem höchsten Schirm, und mich mit deinen Fittichen bedecken. Lass meine Zuversicht sein unter dem Schatten deiner Arme, dass ich kein Unglück fürchte. Behüte mich, mein Gott, wie einen Augapfel, beschirme mich unter dem Schatten deiner Flügel. Herr, du bist mein Gut und mein Erbteil, mein Heil steht in deinen Händen. Hilf mir durch deine Güte, dass nicht Furcht und Zittern über mich komme, und mich Grauen des Nachts nicht überfalle. Sei mir gnädig, denn auf dich trauet meine Seele und unter dem Schatten deiner Flügel habe ich Zuflucht. Ich suche den Herrn in meiner Not, meine Hand ist des Nachts ausgereckt und lässt nicht ab.

Denn meine Seele hat sonst keinen Trost, so weiß ich auch von keinem Helfer im Himmel und auf Erden, denn von dir allein. Zu Mitternacht, so ich erwache, gedenk ich an deinen Namen, dass er so lieblich ist, und an deine Güte und Treue, die du mir erzeigt hast, und danke dir für die Rechte deiner Gerechtigkeit. Wenn ich betrübt bin, so denke ich an Gott, wenn mein Herz in Ängsten ist, so rede ich von meinem Heiland. Denn er führet meine Seele aus dem Verderben und errettet mich von den Banden des Todes. Herr Gott, mein Heiland, ich schreie Tag und Nacht vor dir, dass du mir vergeben wollest alle meine Misshandlungen, damit ich diese Woche und heut wider dich getan habe. O Herr, errette meine Seele um deiner Barmherzigkeit willen. Du bist gnädig und gerecht und unser Gott ist barmherzig. Der Herr behütet die Einfältigen.

Wenn ich niederliege, so hilft er mir auf. Darum will ich fröhlich sein und dich preisen und rühmen auf meinem Lager. Denn die Zeit meines Lebens wird mir aufgehen wie der Mittag, und das Finstere wird mir ein lichter Morgen sein und werde mich des trösten, dass du, Gott, meine Hoffnung und Ruhe bist im Leben und Tod. Ich werde mich legen und niemand wird mich aufschrecken. So befehle ich nun meinen Leib und Seele in deine Hände du treuer Gott, du hast mich erlöset durch Jesum Christum, unsern Herrn. Amen.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Ps.91.4 — With his pinions he will cover you, and under his wings you will take refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and a buckler.
  2. ↩Ps.17.8 — Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.
  3. ↩Ps.16.5 — The LORD is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; you hold fast my lot.
  4. ↩Ps.31.15 — But as for you, I have trusted in you, O LORD; I said, "You are my God."
  5. ↩Ps.55.5 — My heart writhes within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
  6. ↩Ps.91.5 — You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
  7. ↩Ps.57.1 — To the choirmaster. Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.
  8. ↩Ps.77.2 — My voice to God, and I cry out; my voice to God, and He listens to me.
  9. ↩Ps.73.25-Ps.73.26 — Whom have I in heaven but you? And with you I desire nothing on earth. Ps.73.26 — My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
  10. ↩Ps.63.6 — Like fat and rich fare my soul is satisfied, and with lips of joyful singing I praise you.
  11. ↩Ps.48.10 — We have pondered your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple.
  12. ↩Ps.116.3-Ps.116.8 — The cords of death entangled me, and the snares of Sheol found me; distress and anguish I found. Ps.116.4 — And in the name of the LORD I call: O LORD, save my life! Ps.116.5 — Gracious is the LORD, and righteous—our God is merciful. Ps.116.6 — The LORD protects the simple; I was brought low, and he saved me. Ps.116.7 — Return, my soul, to your rest, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. Ps.116.8 — For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
  13. ↩Ps.88.1 — A song, a psalm of the sons of Korah. For the director, set to Mahalath Leannoth. A maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.
  14. ↩Ps.116.5 — Gracious is the LORD, and righteous—our God is merciful.
  15. ↩Ps.116.6 — The LORD protects the simple; I was brought low, and he saved me.
  16. ↩Ps.145.14 — The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.
  17. ↩Ps.63.6 — Like fat and rich fare my soul is satisfied, and with lips of joyful singing I praise you.
  18. ↩Job.11.17 — And your life will be clearer than noonday; though there is darkness, it will be like the morning.
  19. ↩Job.11.19 — You will lie down, and none will make you afraid; many will seek your favor.
  20. ↩Ps.4.8 — You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their grain and wine abound.
  21. ↩Ps.31.5 — Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.
  22. ↩Luke.23.46 — And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." Having said this, he breathed his last.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩Early modern 'heint' is rendered as 'tonight' (this night). 'höchsten Schirm' is kept as protective shelter/covering rather than military shield alone; 'Fittichen' is the traditional psalmic 'wings'.
  2. 2 ↩'Gut und Erbteil' keeps the psalmic pair portion/inheritance; 'Heil' is rendered as salvation rather than generic well-being.
  3. 3 ↩'ausgereckt' is early modern for outstretched; kept as continuous night petition rather than a one-time gesture.
  4. 4 ↩"die Rechte deiner Gerechtigkeit" is psalmic German; rendered as "the right hand of your righteousness" (die Rechte = right hand). Could also be heard as righteous acts/just deeds; right-hand reading preferred for biblical cadence.
  5. 5 ↩Early modern "Misshandlungen" here means misdeeds/offenses against God, not physical mistreatment of others.
  6. 6 ↩"die Einfältigen" is the biblical simple/simple-hearted (humble, uncomplicated trust), not "simple-minded" in a pejorative modern sense.
  7. 7 ↩German 'befehlen in die Hände' is the classic commendation formula; rendered as 'commit into your hands,' not the weaker 'entrust.'

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