Ach got vom hymel syhe dareyn
A Cry for Divine Intervention
The psalmist laments the decline of faith and calls upon God to look down with mercy upon his abandoned people.
O God in heaven, look down on us and let this move you to mercy. How few your saints have become! We poor people have been abandoned. No one will accept your word as true, and faith has completely died out among all humanity.1 among all humanity.2
The Deception of False Teachers
The text exposes the pride and deceit of those who reject God's word and exalt their own authority.
They teach nothing but falsehood and deceit, invented by their own cleverness. Their hearts aren't united in purpose or grounded in God's word. One chooses this, another that; they divide us beyond all measure. And they put on a fine outward show. May God root out every teaching that deceives us with false appearances. And their proud tongues openly defy us: “Who can stop us?” We alone have the right and the power; whatever we decree applies to everyone. Who is there to rule over us?
God's Promise to the Oppressed
God declares his intent to rise up for the poor, asserting that his word is pure and powerful even when tested by suffering.
Therefore God says, "I must rise up; the poor have been crushed." Their sighs reach me; I have heard their cry. My saving word will take the field, boldly and vigorously confront them,3 and be the strength of the poor. Silver tested seven times in the fire is found to be pure. In the same way, we should rely on God's word at all times. It must be tested through the cross; there its power will be recognized and revealed. and it shines brightly throughout the lands.
A Prayer for Preservation
The speaker prays for protection against the influence of the godless generation that surrounds the faithful.
God, you will keep it pure from this evil generation. And keep us in your care, so that it doesn't take root in us.4 The godless crowd gathers wherever these corrupt people are exalted among your people.✦
Doxology of the Eternal God
The chapter concludes with a Trinitarian prayer of praise, acknowledging God's eternal nature.
Glory be to God the Father forever, and also to Christ, his only-begotten Son, and to the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, exalted in heaven. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will remain forever, world without end. Amen.
Read the original Latin
Ach got vom hymel syhe dareyn / vnd lass dich das erbarmen. Wie wenig sind der heyligen dein / verlassen synd wir armen / Dein wort man lest nit haben war / der glaub ist auch verloschen gar. Bey allen menschen kyndern
Sie leren eyttel falsche lyst / was eygen witz erfyndet. Ir hertz nicht eines sinnes ist / yn Gottis wort gegrundet. Der welet dys der ander das / sye trennen vns on alle mas. Vnd gleyssen schon von aussen.
Gott wolt aussrotten alle lar / die falschen scheinn vnns leren. Da zu yhr zung stoltz offenbar / spricht trotz wer wils vnns weren? Wir haben recht vnd macht allein / was wir setzen das gylt gmeyn. wer ist der vns solt meystern?
Darumb spricht Got ich muß auff seyn / die armen seint verstöret. Ihr sufftzen dringt zu mir ereyn / ich hab yhr klag erhöret. Mein heylsam wort soll auff den plan / getrost vnd frisch sie greyffen an. vnd seyn die krafft der armen.
Das sylber durchs fewr sybenmall / bewert / wird lautter funden. Am Gottis wort man warten sall / des gleichen alle stunden. Es wil durchs Creutz beweret seyn / da wirt seyn krafft erkant / vnd scheyn. vnd leucht starck ynn die lande.
Das wolstu Got bewaren reyn / fur dysem argem gschlechte. Vnnd lass vns dir befolhen seyn / das sychs ynn vns nicht flechte. Der gotloss hauff sich vmbher fyndt / wo dyse loße leutte seynt. yn deinem volck erhaben.
Eer sey Gott vatter alle zeyt / auch Christ dem eyngeboren. Vnd dem tröster heylgen geist / gar hoch yn hymel erkoren. Wie es ym anfang vnd auch ytzt / gewesen yst vnd bleibet stetz. yn der wellt der welt Amen.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Ps.12.8 — You, LORD, will guard them; you will keep us safe from this generation forever.
Notes
- 1 ↩The compact Early New High German phrase is understood as a lament that God's faithful people have become very few.
- 2 ↩This printed line completes the preceding statement that faith has died out among all humanity.
- 3 ↩The pronoun “them” most plausibly refers to the proud false teachers in the preceding stanza.
- 4 ↩Literally, “so that it does not weave or entangle itself in us”; “take root” conveys the intended inward spread naturally.
Erfurt Enchiridion (Early Lutheran Hymns) companion
Never lose the rhythm again
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