Heinrich Schütz Nicht uns, Herr, sondern deinen Namen

Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them. O Israel, trust thou in the Lord: he is their help and their shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield. Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield. The Lord hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great. The Lord shall increase

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Nicht uns, Herr, nicht uns, sondern deinem Namen gib Ehre um deine Gnad und Wahrheit. Warum sollen die Heiden sagen: Wo ist nun ihr Gott? Aber unser Gott ist im Himmel, er kann schaffen, was er will. Jener Götter aber sind Silber und Gold, von Menschen Händen gemacht. Sie haben Mäuler und reden nicht, sie haben Augen und sehen nicht, sie haben Ohren und hören nicht, sie haben Nasen und riechen nicht, sie haben Hände und greifen nicht, Füße haben sie und gehen nicht und reden nicht durch ihren Hals. Die solche machen, sind gleich also und alle, die auf sie hoffen. Aber Israel hoffe auf den Herren. Der ist ihre Hülf und Schild. Das Haus Aaron hoffe auf den Herren. Der ist ihre Hülf und Schild. Die den Herren fürchten, hoffen auf den Herren! Der ist ihre Hülf und Schild. Der Herr denket an uns und segnet uns; er segnet das Haus Israel, er segnet das Haus Aaron. Er segnet, die den Herrn fürchten, beides klein und groß. Der Herr segnet euch je mehr und mehr, euch und eure Kinder. Ihr

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Oliver Geisler
Translation: Elizabeth Robinson

“intended for singing”
The “Psalmen Davids” and the art of consolation Heinrich Schütz was fortunate. In the years around 1600 the number of portents of the end of the world increased. And this would also naturally affect the Dresden court, even if it sometimes seemed to be in a world of its own. Constellations of stars, curious events, cometary impacts – all these happenings were rapidly broadcast through the mass media of the Baroque – pamphlets and articles. And the more frequently there were signs giving cause for concern, the nearer the predicted end approached. In the mid-16th century, 2046 was marked out as the end. But at the time when Schütz took up his post in Dresden, the year 1625 was regarded as the point in time when the ‘last trumpet’ would sound. None of this happened – as stated, he was fortunate,

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