1554 - "Yea, As I Live, Jehovah Saith", Nikolaus Hermann

Nikolaus Hermann 

1500 - 1561

Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary
Writer: Jeremiah Clark 1670 - 1707

Born: 1500, Altdorf (near Nürnberg), Bavaria.

Died: May 3, 1561, Joachimsthal, Bohemia.

Hermann lived in Joachimsthal, Bohemia, just over the mountains from Saxony. For many years he held the post of Master in the Latin School there, and Cantor or Organist and Choirmaster in the church. Toward the end of his life he suffered greatly from gout, and had to resign even his post as Cantor a number of years before his death. His hymn tunes were published in:

• Cantica Sacra, volume 1, 1554
• Die Sontags Evangelia (Wittenberg, Germany: 1560)

Sources

• Frost, p. 675
• Stulken, pp. 148-49

Lyrics

1. Hinunter ist der Sonnenschein
2. So wahr ich leb’, spricht Gott der Herr
   • Yea, as I Live, Jehovah Saith
3. Lobt Gott, ihr Christen allzugleich
   • Praise God the Lord, Ye Sons of Men
4. When mein Stündlein vorhanden ist
   • When My Last Hour Is Close at Hand

Music

1. Erschienen Ist
2. Hermann
3. Nikolaus, Lobt Gott Ihr Christen
4. O Heilige Dreifaltigkeit

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Yea, As I Live, JEHOVAH Saith

As I live, saith the Lord God,I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Ezekiel 33:11

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Words: Nikolaus Hermann, 1560 (So wahr ich leb’, spricht Gott der Herr); translated from German to English by Matthias Loy in the Evangelical Lutheran Hymnal (Columbus, Ohio: 1880).

Music: St. Luke (Clarke), Jeremiah Clarke, 1701 (♫ ).

Matthias Loy (1828-1915)

Yea, as I live, Jehovah saith,
I would not have the sinner's death,
But that he turn from error's ways,
Repent, and live through endless days.

To us therefore Christ gave command:
Go forth and preach in every land;
Bestow on all My pardoning grace
Who will repent and mend their ways.

All those whose sins ye thus remit
I truly pardon and acquit,
And those whose sins ye do retain
Condemned and guilty shall remain.

What ye shall bind, that bound shall be:
What ye shall loose, that shall be free;
Unto My Church the keys are given
To open and close the gates of heaven.

They who believe when ye proclaim
The joyful tidings in My name That
I for them My blood have shed,
Are free from guilt and Judgment dread.

The words which absolution give
Are His who died that we might live;
The minister whom Christ has sent
Is but His humble instrument.

However great our sin may be,
The absolution sets us free,
Appointed by God's own dear
Son To bring the pardon He has won.

When ministers lay on their hands,
Absolved by Christ the sinner stands;
He who by grace the Word believes
The purchase of His blood receives.

 This is the power of Holy Keys,
It binds and doth again release;
The Church retains them at her side,
Our mother and Christ's holy Bride.

All praise, eternal Son, to Thee
For absolution full and free,
In which Thou showest forth
Thy grace; From false indulgence guard our race.

Praise God the Father and the Son
And Holy Spirit, Three in One,
As 'twas, is now, and so shall be
World without end, eternally!

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