Help us, O Lord, behold we enter

Representative Text

1 Help us, O Lord, for now we enter
Upon another year today.
In you our hopes and thoughts now center;
Renew our courage for the way.
New life, new strength, new happiness
We ask of you -- oh, hear and bless.

2 May ev'ry plan and undertaking
Begin this year, O Lord, with you;
When I am sleeping or am waking,
Help me, dear Lord, your will to do.
In you alone, my God, I live;
You only can my sins forgive.

3 And may this year to me be holy;
Your grace so fill my ev'ry thought
That all my life be pure and lowly
And truthful, as a Christian's ought.
So make me while I'm living here
Your faithful servant through the year.

4 Jesus, be with me and direct me;
Jesus, my plans and hopes inspire;
Jesus, from tempting thoughts protect me;
Jesus, be all my heart's desire;
Jesus, be in my thoughts all day
And never let me fall away.

5 And grant, Lord, when the year is over,
That it for me in peace may close.
In all things care for me and cover
My head in time of fear and woes.
So may I, when my life is done,
Appear with joy before your throne.

Source: Christian Worship (1993): a Lutheran hymnal #70

Author: Johann Rist

Rist, Johann, son of Kaspar Rist, pastor at Ottensen, near Hamburg, was born at Ottensen, March 8, 1607, and from his birth was dedicated to the ministry. After passing through the Johanneum at Hamburg and the Gymnasium Illustre at Bremen, he matriculated, in his 21st year, at the University of Rinteln, and there, under Josua Stegmann (q. v.), he received an impulse to hymn-writing. On leaving Rinteln he acted as tutor to the sons of a Hamburg merchant, accompanying them to the University of Rostock, where he himself studied Hebrew, Mathematics and also Medicine. During his residence at Rostock the terrors, of the Thirty Years War almost emptied the University, and Rist himself also lay there for weeks ill of the pestilence. After his r… Go to person page >

Translator: Catherine Winkworth

Catherine Winkworth (b. Holborn, London, England, 1827; d. Monnetier, Savoy, France, 1878) is well known for her English translations of German hymns; her translations were polished and yet remained close to the original. Educated initially by her mother, she lived with relatives in Dresden, Germany, in 1845, where she acquired her knowledge of German and interest in German hymnody. After residing near Manchester until 1862, she moved to Clifton, near Bristol. A pioneer in promoting women's rights, Winkworth put much of her energy into the encouragement of higher education for women. She translated a large number of German hymn texts from hymnals owned by a friend, Baron Bunsen. Though often altered, these translations continue to be used i… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Help us, O Lord, behold we enter
German Title: Hilf, Herr Jesu, lass gelingen
Author: Johann Rist (1644)
Translator: Catherine Winkworth (1863)
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Tune

ICH STERBE TÄGLICH


NEUMARK

Published in 1657 (see above) WER NUR DEN LIEBEN GOTT is also known as NEUMARK. Johann S. Bach (PHH 7) used the tune in its isorhythmic shape (all equal rhythms) in his cantatas 21, 27, 84, 88, 93, 166, 179, and 197. Many Lutheran composers have also written organ preludes on this tune. WER NUR DEN…

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O DASS ICH TAUSEND ZUNGEN HÄTTE (König)

Johann Balthaser König (b. Waltershausen, near Gotha, Germany, 1691; d. Frankfurt, Germany, 1758) composed this tune, which later became associated with Johann Mentzer's hymn "O dass ich tausend Zungen hätte" (Oh, That I Had a Thousand Voices). The harmonization is from the Wurttembergische Choral…

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Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #2307
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)

Instances

Instances (1 - 29 of 29)

Book of Hymns for the Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Wisconsin and Other States #d90

Book of Hymns for the joint Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan and other states #d91

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Chorale Book for England, The #172

Text

Christian Worship (1993) #70

Evangelical Lutheran Hymn Book with Tunes #d142

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Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-book #43

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Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-book #171

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Evangelical Lutheran Hymnal #47

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Evangelical Lutheran hymnal #47

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Evangelical Lutheran Hymnal. 9th ed. #a47

Evangelical Lutheran Hymnbook (Lutheran Conference of Missouri and Other States) #d113

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Hymnal and Order of Service #40

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Hymnal #40

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Hymns and Chorales #149

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Services for Congregational Worship. The New Hymn and Tune Book #182

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Sunday School Book #29

Text

The Children's Hymnbook #189

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #2307

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The Hymnal and Order of Service #58

Text

The Hymnal and Order of Service #58

The Hymnal of the Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod. Text ed. #d184

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The Lutheran Hymnal #120

The Pean #d34

The Pearl #d37

The Selah Song Book (Das Sela Gesangbuch) #d247

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The Selah Song Book (Das Sela Gesangbuch) (2nd ed) #884a

The Selah Song Book. Word ed. #d123

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The University Hymn Book #264

University Hymn Book for use in the Chapel of Harvard University #d84

Exclude 27 pre-1979 instances
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