562. What mercy and divine compassion
Philipp F. Hiller, 1699-1769
Tr. Frieda Kaufman, 1883-1944
1.
Mir ist Erbarmung widerfahren,
Erbarmung, deren ich nicht wert!
Das zähl’ ich zu dem Wunderbaren;
Mein stolzes Herz hat’s nie begehrt.
Nun weiss ich das, und bin erfreut,
: Und rühme die Barmherzigkeit:
2.
Ich hatte nichts als Zorn verdienet,
Und soll bei Gott in Gnaden sein;
Gott hat mich mit sich selbst versühnet,
Und macht durchs Blut des Sohn’s mich rein,
Nicht durch Verdienst der Kreatur,—
: Erbarmung ist’s, Erbarmung nur:
3.
Das musz ich dir, mein Gott, bekennen,
Das rühm’ ich, wenn ein Mensch mich fragt;
Ich kann es nur Erbarmung nennen,
So ist mein ganzes Herz gesagt;
Ich beuge mich, und bin erfreut,
: Und rühme die Barmherzigkeit:
4.
Dies lass ich kein Geschöpf mir rauben,
Dies soll mein einzig Rühmen sein;
Auf dies Erbarmen will ich glauben;
Auf dieses bet’ ich auch allein;
Auf dieses duld’ ich in der Not;
: Auf dieses hoff’ ich noch im Tod:
5.
Gott, der du reich bist an Erbarmen,
Nimm dein Erbarmen nicht von mir,
Und führe durch den Tod mich Armen
Durch meines Heilands Tod zu dir;
Da bin ich ewig hoch erfreut,
: Und rühme die Barmherzigkeit:
Based on I Tim. 1:13: “aber mir ist Barmherzigkeit widerfahren” (“but I obtained mercy”).
The hymn appeared first in Hiller’s Geistliches Liederkästlein, Part II, 1767, with the following note by the author:
An unconverted person is much too proud to say these words sincerely from the heart; but the converted person confesses them freely before God and man.
For comments on the author, Philipp Friedrich Hiller, see [Hymn 524]. The hymn is credited, erroneously, to Gerhard Tersteegen, in the Hymnary.
A number of Hiller’s hymns have been translated but this one apparently had never before been put into English. Our translation, consisting of stanzas 1, 2, 4, and 5, was made especially for the Hymnary by Sister Frieda Kaufman who was for many years associated with the Bethel Deaconess Hospital, Newton, Kansas. Sister Frieda was born near Basel, Switzerland; came with her parents to Halstead, Kansas; and attended Bethel College. After graduating from a nursing course in Cincinnati, Ohio, she received her deaconess garb and has since been known as “Sister Frieda.” From 1908 to 1943 she served as sister-in-charge of the hospital and during much of that time served also as its superintendent. She had much to do with the planning of the Home for the Aged which is operated in connection with the hospital. To these two institutions she devoted her rare gifts and set for them a high standard of Christian service. Sister Frieda had unusual literary and artistic endowments and translated several German hymns into English.
MUSIC. ERBARMUNG is a popular Swiss melody which appeared anonymously in the Gesangbuch mit Noten. It was composed by Johann Gottfried Schicht, 1753-1823, who was born in Zittau. Schicht composed 3 oratorios, church and chamber music, and edited Bach’s motets. He became cantor of the Thomasschule in Leipzig in 1810.