What We Can Never Understand

Who: This is yet another great hymn by the great Paul Gerhardt. There are two other translations- by Richard Massie and John Kelly- but both of them are archaic. So, I've made a new translation, but with an eye on the others.
Note: YHWH- God's Name, meaning 'I am-' is pronounced Yahweh.
'Rood' is an old word for 'cross,' related to the word 'rod.'
Tune: Christian Hählke has written a new tune just for this hymn. The meter is 87 87 87 87 7.

What we can never understand,

With all our gathered wisdom,

God has shown forth to ev'ry land

From His high heav'nly kingdom:

There is no other King but He,

He overthrows all rivals,

Great, mighty, full of charity,

In Him is our survival,

One Essence, yet three Persons.

He has a holy, blessed Name:

God Father, Son, and Spirit.

That's how He's to be known and famed,

His upright seed declare it.

He's God of Isaac, Abraham,

And Jacob, whom He favors,

YHWH, the Lord, the great I AM,

To us He hands His blessings o'er,

He Who alone works wonders.

Before time was the Father sent

The Son, in His own likeness;

The Son, when time was fullest, went

Into our flesh, as promised.

The Holy Spirit timelessly

Proceeds from Father and Son,

With equal worth and majesty,

With co-eternal might and crown

And undivided oneness.

See here, my heart, this is your Good,

Your rich, unequaled treasure,

This is your Friend Who on the rood

Gave health in fullest measure,

Who made atonement for your sins,

Who made you in His likeness,

Who gives you trusting faith, wherein

There's comfort in His promises,

Found only in His Gospel.

Arise and go unto your Lord,

And glean His righteous treasure

He will your burdened soul award

His peace in fullest measure.

He fosters us in purest love,

Fits us for life in heaven,

Here we don't know of things above,

But there our God has given

His children's ears their yearning.

Watch out, you unbelieving horde,

Who've shut your eyes to Knowing,

Who've trashed the glory of the Lord,

To hungry canines throwing!

The door of heaven will be shut

And locked to you forever,

For those who drive away our God

He will deny and sever

From His beloved kingdom.

Victorious Lord, Your mercy show,

O God of earth and heaven,

That ev'ry sinner here below

Repent and be forgiven;

Remove the blindfold from our eyes,

Bring back those who have wandered,

Destroy the stumbling block which lies

Upon the way to yonder,

Increase our faith in trials.

In unity, grant us to fare

To new life's mighty portals,

And praise You in Your kingdom there

With all the blest immortals.

You are the King of Kings alone,

Who's overthrown all rivals,

God Father, Son, and Spirit, One,

Who's won for us survival,

One Essence, yet three Persons.

Was alle Weisheit in der Welt
Paul Gerhardt
tr. MDS