Dir, dir, Jehova, will ich singen explained
"German: Dir, dir, Jehova, will ich singen|italic=no" |
Type: | Christian hymn |
Catalogue: | Zahn 3068 |
Translation: | "Jehovah, let me now adore Thee" |
Text: | by Bartholomäus Crasselius |
Language: | German |
"German: Dir, dir, Jehova, will ich singen|italic=no" (To you, to you, Jehova, I want to sing) is a Lutheran hymn, with 1695 text by Bartholomäus Crasselius. A melody attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach appeared in Schemellis Gesangbuch. It was translated into English by Catherine Winkworth in 1863 as "Jehovah, let me now adore Thee". The song became part of many German hymnals, such as Evangelisches Gesangbuch and Gotteslob. From the 1930s, the hymn has often been rendered as "German: Dir, dir, o Höchster, will ich singen|italic=no".
History
Bartholomäus Crasselius was a Lutheran pastor who studied in Halle August Hermann Francke and was influenced by Pietism. He wrote the text of "German: Dir, dir, Jehova, will ich singen|italic=no", published in 1695 with a melody from Hamburg. A different melody by Johann Sebastian Bach appeared in as a four-part chorale, "Dir, dir, Jehova, will ich singen", BWV 299, in the 1725 Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach.[1] He adapted it to a version for voice and continuo in Schemellis Gesangbuch, BWV 452.
The hymn became commonly distributed and used. The song became part of many German hymnals. Under the Nazi regime, Protestant groups aimed at avoiding words regarded as Jewish, and "Jehova" was replaced by "Höchster" (Highest). Another interpretation is, that not uttering the name of God also has something to do with respect for people who believe in Judaism. In the Protestant hymnal Evangelisches Kirchengesangbuch it was EG 237, and in the 1995 edition Evangelisches Gesangbuch, it is EG 328. It was included in the Catholic hymnal Gotteslob in regional sections, such as in the Diocese of Limburg as GL 811, in three stanzas, and with the 1690 melody from Hamburg.
Text and translation
"German: Dir, dir, Jehova, will ich singen|italic=no" is written in seven stanzas of six lines each. It is in bar form. The song was translated into English by Catherine Winkworth in 1863 as "Jehovah, let me now adore Thee".
References
Cited sources
- Web site: Braatz . Thomas . Oron . Aryeh . Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works / Dir, dir, Jehova, will ich singen . Bach Cantatas Website . March 2008 . 7 August 2022 .
- Web site: Browne . Francis . Oron . Aryeh . Chorale Texts used in Bach's Vocal Works / Dir, dir Jehova will ich singen / Text and Translation of Chorale . Bach Cantatas Website . March 2008 . 7 August 2022 .
- Book: Engelhardt
, Ruth
. Herbst . Wolfgang . Wer ist wer im Gesangbuch? . . 2001 . 65 . de . 978-3-52-550323-2 .
- News: Kirschbaum . Christa . Dir, dir, o Höchster, will ich singen" (eg 328) . . 28 September 2019 . de . 14 August 2022 .
- Book: Meyer
, Carl H.
. https://books.google.com/books?id=P-s_AAAAcAAJ&pg=PA61 . Einleitung in das dritte Hauptstück . Katechetisches Handbuch zur Erläuterung des kleinen Katechismus Dr. Luthers . Carl H. Myer . 1841 . 61–76 . de .
- Book: Richter
, M.
. Die Sprache jüdischer Figuren in der deutschen Literatur (1750–1933): Studien zu Form und Funktion . Wallstein . 1995 . 978-3-89244-068-0 . de . 15 August 2022 .
- Book: Schulze
, O.
. Ausführlichere Erklärung der achtzig Kirchenlieder der drei preuss. Regulative vom 1, 2 und 3 October 1854 in ihren Originaltexten, enthaltend die Angabe der Zeit und Veranlassung, da sie gedichtet wurden sowie deren biblische Grundlage und innern Zusammenhang, nebst kurzen Lebensabrissen der Verfasser . 1856 . de . 129 . 15 August 2022.
- Book: Thust
, K.C.
. Die Lieder des Evangelischen Gesangbuchs (EG 1–535): Kommentar zu Entstehung, Text und Musik . Bärenreiter-Verlag . 2019 . 978-3-7618-7029-7 . de . 15 August 2022 .
- Book: Zahn . Johannes . Johannes Zahn . 1890 . . III . Gütersloh . . 80–81 .
- Web site: Dir dir, o Höchster, will ich singen . evangeliums.net . 14 August 2022 . .
- Web site: Dir, Dir, Jehova, will ich singen! . evangeliums.net . de . 15 August 2022 . .
- Web site: Alphabetisches Verzeichnis der Gesänge nur LM . . de . 19 August 2022 . .
- Web site: Dir dir, Jehovah will ich singen . hymnary.org . 7 August 2022 . .
- Web site: The Cyber Hymnal 3355. Jehovah, let me now adore Thee . hymnary.org . 15 August 2022 . .
- Book: Jahrbuch für Liturgik und Hymnologie. 35.1994/95(1996) . Vandenhoeck + Ruprecht . 1996 . 978-3-525-57197-2 . de . . 15 August 2022 .
- Web site: Schemelli-Wenzel : Bach, Johann Sebastian . Internet Archive . 1736 . 15 August 2022 . 34 . .
Notes and References
- https://www.bach-digital.de/receive/BachDigitalWork_work_00000369 Dir, dir, Jehova, will ich singen BWV 299 [2]; BC F 47.1