Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Speratus Hymn in New Translation - Faith Alone Justifies

"Walther was wrong?!"


Faith Alone Justifies:


Salvation unto Us Has Come – New Translation of Original Stanza 8

I offer here a singable translation of a stanza that was not included in The LutheranHymnal.  There is a translation of all 14 stanzas in Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary, but the translation of this stanza below is closer to the original.
The Lutheran Hymnal #377:  Salvation unto Us has Come
Es ist das Heil uns kommen her
Paul Speratus, 1523
Original hymn in German:  14 stanzas
The Lutheran Hymnal: 10 stanzas
The following stanza is stanza 8 in the original and fits in order between stanzas 7 and 8 in The Lutheran Hymnal.
8.  Him only God accounts as right
who with this faith is fitted;
Faith glitters with its native light
When works are not omitted.
For faith it is that pleaseth God,
But love will do thy neighbor good,
If thou art born of heaven.
German:
Es ist gerecht vor Gott allein,
Der diesen Glauben fasset;
Der Glaub gibt von sich aus den Schein,
So er die Werk nicht lasset;
Mit Gott der Glaub ist wohl daran,
Dem Nächsten wird die Lieb Guts tun,
Bist du aus Gott geboren.
Literal translation:
Only he is righteous before God
Who holds this faith;
Faith issues forth its appearance,
If it does not leave works behind;
With God faith is reckoned as well,
Love will do good to the neighbor,
If you are born from God.


'via Blog this'


The Lutheran Hymnal - Complete


"Salvation unto Us has Come"
by Paul Speratus, 1484-1551

1. Salvation unto us has come
By God's free grace and favor;
Good works cannot avert our doom,
They help and save us never.
Faith looks to Jesus Christ alone,
Who did for all the world atone;
He is our one Redeemer.

2. What God did in His Law demand
And none to Him could render
Caused wrath and woe on every hand
For man, the vile offender.
Our flesh has not those pure desires
The spirit of the Law requires,
And lost is our condition.

3. It was a false, misleading dream
That God His Law had given
That sinners should themselves redeem
And by their works gain heaven.
The Law is but a mirror bright
To bring the inbred sin to light
That lurks within our nature.

4. From sin our flesh could not abstain,
Sin held its sway unceasing;
The task was useless and in vain,
Our gilt was e'er increasing.
None can remove sin's poisoned dart
Or purify our guileful heart,-
So deep is our corruption.

5. Yet as the Law must be fulfilled
Or we must die despairing,
Christ came and hath God's anger stilled,
Our human nature sharing.
He hath for us the Law obeyed
And thus the Father's vengeance stayed
Which over us impended.

6. Since Christ hath full atonement made
And brought to us salvation,
Each Christian therefore may be glad
And build on this foundation.
Thy grace alone, dear Lord, I plead,
Thy death is now my life indeed,
For Thou hast paid my ransom.

7. Let me not doubt, but trust in Thee,
Thy Word cannot be broken;
Thy call rings out, "Come unto Me!"
No falsehood hast Thou spoken.
Baptized into Thy precious name,
My faith cannot be put to shame,
And I shall never perish.

8. The Law reveals the guilt of sin
And makes men conscience-stricken;
The Gospel then doth enter in
The sinful soul to quicken.
Come to the cross, trust Christ, and live;
The Law no peace can ever give,
No comfort and no blessing.

9. Faith clings to Jesus' cross alone
And rests in Him unceasing;
And by its fruits true faith is known,
With love and hope increasing.
Yet faith alone doth justify,
Works serve thy neighbor and supply
The proof that faith is living.

10. All blessing, honor, thanks, and praise
To Father, Son, and Spirit,
The God that saved us by His grace,-
All glory to His merit!
O Triune God in heaven above,
Who hast revealed Thy saving love,
Thy blessed name be hallowed.

Hymn 377
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Rom. 3: 5
Author: Paul Speratus, 1523, cento
Translated by: composite
Titled: "Es ist das Heil uns kommen her"
Tune: "Es ist das Heil"
German melody, c. 1400