559. Abide with us, our Savior
Josua Stegmann, 1588-1632
Tr. Anonymous
1.
Ach bleib mit deiner Gnade
Bei uns, Herr Jesu Christ,
Dass uns hinfort nicht schade
Des bösen Feindes List!
2.
Ach bleib mit deinem Worte
Bei uns, Erlöser wert,
Dass uns beid’ hier und dorte
Sei Güt’ und Heil beschert!
3.
Ach bleib mit deinem Glanze
Bei uns, du wertes Licht;
Dein’ Wahrheit uns umschanze,
Damit wir irren nicht!
4.
Ach bleib mit deinem Segen
Bei uns, du reicher Herr!
Dein’ Gnad’ und all’s Vermögen
In uns reichlich vermehr!
5.
Ach bleib mit deinem Schutze
Bei uns, du starker Held,
Dass uns der Feind nicht trutze,
Noch fäll’ die böse Welt!
6.
Ach bleib mit deiner Treue
Bei uns, mein Herr und Gott!
Beständigkeit verleihe,
Hilf uns aus aller Not!
A simple and beautiful hymn, having as its keynote the saying of the two disciples at Emmaus: “Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent” (Lk. 24:29). It originally appeared in the author’s Christliches Gebetsbüchlein, Rinteln, 1627, and later in his Erneuerte Hertzen-Seufzer, 1630, under the title, “For the Blessing and Support of the Ministry,” to be used as a closing hymn after the “Prayer for the Preservation of the Doctrine, and of the Church of God.”
Our version is a free translation of stanzas 1 to 3 as it appeared, anonymously, in the Dalston Hospital Hymn Book, 1848, and as repeated in the Pennsylvania Lutheran Church Book, 1868.
Josua Stegmann, son of a Lutheran pastor, was born at Sülzfeld, Germany. He was educated at the Universities of Leipzig and Wittenberg. After holding several positions as teacher and pastor, he became Professor of Theology at Rinteln. With the outbreak of the Thirty Years’ War, he was forced to flee but returned after several years. He suffered much at the hands of his Catholic opponents. Benedictine monks claimed to be the rightful professors and demanded the restoration of certain church properties. At one time soldiers were sent into Stegmann’s house, demanding a refund of his salary, compelling him to a public disputation, and otherwise subjecting him to humiliation.
MUSIC. ACH BLEIB MIT DEINER GNADE is a simple but lovely tune, permeated with a feeling of deep serenity, fitting the present hymn perfectly. It appeared in the composer’s Ein Schön Geistlich Gesangbuch, Jena, 1609, set to the hymn, “Christus, der ist mein Leben,” by which name the tune is also known. J. S. Bach used the melody in his chorale cantata, Christus, der ist mein Leben.
The composer, Melchior Vulpius, c. 1560-1616, was precentor at Weimar about 1600. He composed a number of tunes and published them in his Ein schön geistlich Gesangbuch, &c., durch M.V. Cantorem zu Weymar. Others of his tunes were published after his death.