Chorale Texts used in Bach's Vocal Works
Gott sei gelobet und gebenedeiet
Text and Translation of Chorale

EKG: NLGB 187; EG 214; GL 215
Author: verse 1: Anon (Medingen, c1350); verses 2–3: Martin Luther (1524)
Chorale Melody: Gott sei gelobet und gebenedeiet (Zahn 8078) | Composer: Johann Walter (Wittenberg, 1524), based on a Leise from the Franciscan monastery Miltenberg (Mainz, c1390)
Theme: Communion; Eucharist

Description:

"Gott sei gelobet und gebenedeiet" (God be praised and blessed) is a Lutheran hymn of 1524 with words written by Martin Luther who used an older first stanza and melody. It is a song of thanks after communion. M. Luther's version in three stanzas was printed in the Erfurt Enchiridion of 1524 (No. 7) and in Johann Walter's choral hymnal Eyn geystlich Gesangk Buchleyn the same year. Today, the song appears in German hymnals, including both the Protestant Evangelisches Gesangbuch (EG 214), and in a different version in the Catholic Gotteslob (GL 215).
Text and melody are based on a Leise, a German congregational refrain ending on Kyrie eleison, of the Latin sequence Lauda Sion for Corpus Christi (see explanation of Leise in the CM page: Christ ist erstanden). M. Luther knew it in a version which first appeared at the end of the 14th century in a processional from the Franciscan monastery Miltenberg, made in Mainz, at the end of the 14th century:
God siy gelobbet und gebenedyet
der uns alle hait gespysse
mydt synem fleysch, undt synem blude,
das gibbe unß lieber herre got zu gude
das heylge sacramente
an unßerm lesten ende
uß des gewyten priesters hende.
Kyrie eleyson.

O herre dorc dynen heilgen fronlychnam,
der von dyner mutter marien quam,
und das heilige bludt
nu hilff unß herre uß aller unßir noydt.
Kyrie eleyson.
M. Luther praised the Leise in his writing Von der Winkelmesse und Pfaffenweihe in 1533, appreciating that it is focused on the sacrament of bread and wine, not on sacrifice. He made it a song of thanks after communion, by shortening the text for a first stanza, and by adding two stanzas. The second stanza mentions the anamnesis of the gifts of redemption, the third stanza is a prayer for spiritual fruits of the sacrament for the individual life of the Christian, and for the community.
M. Luther's version appeared in the Erfurt Enchiridion of 1524 and in J. Walter's choral hymnal Eyn geystlich Gesangk Buchleyn the same year. In the current German hymnal Evangelisches Gesangbuch, it appears as EG 214.
J. Walter published a four-part setting of the melody in Eyn geystlich Gesangk Buchleyn in 1524. J.S. Bach composed a four-part setting, BWV 322.
M. Luther's first stanza, including his redaction, appeared in a Catholic hymnal by the Dominican Michael Vehe, New Gesangbüchlin Geistlicher Lieder, in Halle (Saale) in 1537. In this hymnal, the song is continued by four more stanzas which are attributed to Caspar Querhammer. This version entered several subsequent hymnals.
In the 20th century, a new version appeared in hymnals such as Kirchenlied, which took M. Luther's first stanza unchanged, but the second half of his second and third stanza replaced each time by the second half of the first, as a refrain. At first, M. Luther's name was not mentioned, instead only "16th century". This version was included in the first common Catholic hymnal Gotteslob of 1975 (as GL 494), now mentioning M. Luther's name, and was kept in the following edition, Gotteslob, as GL 215.
Source: Gott sei gelobet und gebenedeiet (Wikipedia) (January 31, 2018)

Vocal Works by J.S. Bach:

Chorale Gott sei gelobet und gebenedeiet, BWV 322
Ref: RE 70; Br 70; KE 119; Birnstiel 75; AmB 46II p.189; Levy-Mendelssohn 66; Fasch p.156; BGA 69; BC F76.1; CST 122

German Text (verses in bold print set by Bach)

English Translation

1. Gott sei gelobet und gebenedeiet,
Der uns selber hat gespeiset
Mit seinem Fleische und mit seinem Blute;
Das gib uns, Herr Gott, zugute.
Kyrieleison.

1. O Lord, we praise Thee, bless Thee, and adore Thee,
In thanksgiving bow before Thee.
Thou with Thy body and Thy blood didst nourish
Our weak souls that they may flouish:
O Lord, have mercy!

Herr, durch deinen heiligen Leichnam,
Der von dein Mutter Maria kam,
Und das heilige Blut,
Hilf uns, Herr, aus aller Not.
Kyrieleison.

May Thy body, Lord, born of Mary,
That our sins and sorrows did carry,
And Thy blood for us plead
In all trial, fear, and need:
O Lord, have mercy!

2. Der heilig Leichnam ist für uns gegeben
Zum Tod, dass wir dadurch leben.
Nicht größere Güte konnt er uns schenken,
Dabei wir sein solln gedenken.
Kyrieleison.

2. Thy holy body into death was given,
Life to win for us in heaven.
No greater love than this to Thee could bind us;
May this feast thereof remind us!
O Lord, have mercy!

Herr, dein Lieb so groß dich g'zwungen hat,
Dass dein Blut an uns groß Wunder tat
Und bezahlt unser Schuld,
Dass uns Gott ist worden hold.
Kyrieleison.

Lord, Thy kindness did so constrain Thee
That Thy blood should bless and sustain me.
All our debt Thou hast paid;
Peace with God once more is made:
O Lord, have mercy.

3.Gott geb uns allen seiner Gnaden Segen,
Dass wir gehn auf seinen Wegen
In rechter Lieb und brüderlicher Treue,
Dass die Speis uns nicht gereue.
Kyrieleison.

3. May God bestow on us His grace and favor
To please Him with our behavior
And live as brethren here in love and union
Nor repent this blest Communion!
O Lord, have mercy!

Herr, dein heilig Geist uns nimmer lass,
Der uns geb zu halten rechte Maß,
Dass dein arm Christenheit
Leb in Fried und Einigkeit.
Kyrieleison.

Let not Thy good Spirit forsake us;
Grant that heavenly-minded He make us;
Give Thy Church, Lord, to see
Days of peace and unity:
O Lord, have mercy!

The hymn in the Erfurt Enchiridion

Source of German Text: Wikipedia | Bach Digital | Hymnary.org | Monarchieliga
English Translation: composite | Source of English Translation: The Lutheran Hymnal, No. 313 on The Lutheran Hymnal
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (September 2018) - October 2018)