Saturday, June 5, 2010

Ist Gott fuer mich so trete gleich alles wieder mich/ If God himself be for me

This is version done for a TV special on Paul Gerhard.  This hymn has to be my very favorite.
It's a kind of jazzed up version set on an industrial site, set in Gräfenhainichen, a small town between Halle and Wittenberg, where Paul Gerhard was from.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMRdEKFuQck






"If God Himself Be for Me"
                      by Paul Gerhardt, 1607-1676
                               Text From:
                  THE HANDBOOK TO THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL
        (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1942), pp. 370-372



        1. If God Himself be for me,
        I may a host defy;
        For when I pray, before me
        My foes, confounded, fly.
        If Christ, my Head and Master,
        Befriend me from above,
        What foe or what disaster
        Can drive me from His love?

        2. This I believe, yea, rather,
        Of this I make my boast,
        That God is my dear Father,
        The Friend who loves me most,
        And that, whate'er betide me,
        My Savior is at hand
        Through stormy seas to guide me
        And bring me safe to land.

        3. I build on this foundation,
        That Jesus and His blood
        Alone are my salvation,
        The true, eternal good.
        Without Him all that pleases
        Is valueless on earth;
        The gifts I owe to Jesus
        Alone my love are worth.

        4. My Jesus is my Splendor,
        My Sun, my Light, alone;
        Were He not my Defender
        Before God's awe-full throne,
        I never should find favor
        And mercy in His sight,
        But be destroyed forever
        As darkness by the light.

        5. He canceled my offenses,
        Delivered me from death;
        He is the Lord who cleanses
        My soul from sin through faith.
        In Him I can be cheerful,
        Bold, and undaunted aye;
        In Him I am not fearful
        Of God's great Judgment Day.

        6. Naught, naught, can now condemn me
        Nor set my hope aside;
        Now hell no more can claim me,
        Its fury I deride.
        No sentence e'er reproves me,
        No ill destroys my peace;
        For Christ, my Savior, loves me
        And shields me with His grace.

        7. His Spirit in me dwelleth,
        And o'er my mind He reigns.
        All sorrow He dispelleth
        And soothes away all pains.
        He crowns His work with blessing
        And helpeth me to cry,
        "My Father!" without ceasing,
        To Him who dwells on high.

        8. And when my soul is lying
        Weak, trembling, and oppressed,
        He pleads with groans and sighing
        That cannot be exprest;
        But God's quick eye discerns them,
        Although they give no sound,
        And into language turns them
        E'en in the heart's deep ground.

        9. To mine His Spirit speaketh
        Sweet word of holy cheer,
        How God to him that seeketh
        For rest is always near
        And how He hath erected
        A city fair and new,
        Where what our faith expected
        We evermore shall view.

        10. In yonder home doth flourish
        My heritage, my lot;
        Though here I die and perish,
        My heaven shall fail me not.
        Though care my life oft saddens
        And causeth tears to flow,
        The light of Jesus gladdens
        And sweetens every woe.

        11. Who clings with resolution
        To Him whom Satan hates
        Must look for persecution;
        For him the burden waits
        Of mockery, shame, and losses,
        Heaped on his blameless head;
        A thousand plagues and crosses
        Will be his daily bread.

        12. From me this is not hidden,
        Yet I am not afraid;
        I leave my cares, as bidden,
        To whom my vows were paid.
        Though life and limb it cost me
        And everything I won,
        Unshaken shall I trust Thee
        And cleave to Thee alone.

        13. Though earth be rent asunder,
        Thou'rt mine eternally;
        Not fire nor sword nor thunder
        Shall sever me from Thee;
        Not hunger, thirst, nor danger,
        Not pain nor poverty
        Nor mighty princes' anger
        Shall ever hinder me.

        14. No angel and no gladness,
        No throne, no pomp, no show,
        No love, no hate, no sadness,
        No pain, no depth of woe,
        No scheme of man's contrivance,
        However small or great,
        Shall draw me from Thy guidance
        Nor from Thee separate.

        15. My heart for joy is springing
        And can no more be sad,
        'Tis full of mirth and singing,
        Sees naught but sunshine glad.
        The Sun that cheers my spirit
        Is Jesus Christ, my King;
        That which I shall inherit
        Makes me rejoice and sing.

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