The First Psalm of David

Representative Text

Bless’d is he who never taketh
Counsel of ungodly men!
Bless’d, the right who ne’er forsaketh,
Nor in sinners’ paths is seen,
Who the scorners’ friendship spurns,
From their seats away who turns,
Who delight in God’s word taketh,
This his meditation maketh.

Bless’d is he who pleasure taketh
In God’s laws’ most perfect way,
It is his lov’d resort who maketh
Where he lingers night and day!
Oh! His blessing blooms and grows,
As the palm where water flows,
And abroad its branches spreadeth,
And the wayworn pilgrim shadeth.

He will truly ever flourish
Who God’s word delights to do,
Air and earth alike will nourish
Him, till ripe his fruit shall grow.
Though his leaf grow old, yet he
Ever fresh and green shall be,
God success to his endeavour
Giveth, and it prospers ever.

But he who in sin’s ways goeth
Is like chaff the wind before,
When it riseth up and bloweth,
And we find it here no more.
Where the Lord His people guide,
There the godless ne’er abide,
God the faithful loves and guideth,
On the wicked wrath abideth.

Paul Gerhardt’s Spiritual Songs, 1867

All representative texts • Compare texts ^ top

Author: Paul Gerhardt

Paul Gerhardt (b. Gräfenheinichen, Saxony, Germany, 1607; d. Lubben, Germany, 1676), famous author of Lutheran evangelical hymns, studied theology and hymnody at the University of Wittenberg and then was a tutor in Berlin, where he became friends with Johann Crüger. He served the Lutheran parish of Mittenwalde near Berlin (1651-1657) and the great St. Nicholas' Church in Berlin (1657-1666). Friederich William, the Calvinist elector, had issued an edict that forbade the various Protestant groups to fight each other. Although Gerhardt did not want strife between the churches, he refused to comply with the edict because he thought it opposed the Lutheran "Formula of Concord," which condemned some Calvinist doctrines. Consequently, he was r… Go to person page >

Translator: J. Kelly

Kelly, John, was born at Newcastle-on-Tyne, educated at Glasgow University, studied theology at Bonn, New College, Edinburgh, and the Theological College of the English Presbyterian Church (to which body he belongs) in London. He has ministered to congregations at Hebburn-on-Tyne and Streatham, and was Tract Editor of the Religious Tract Society. His translations of Paul Gerhardt's Spiritual Songs were published in 1867. Every piece is given in full, and rendered in the metre of the originals. His Hymns of the Present Century from the German were published in 1886 by the Religious Tract Society. In these translations the metres of the originals have not always been followed, whilst some of the hymns have been abridged and others condens… Go to person page >

^ top

Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	Blessed is he who never taketh
Title:	The First Psalm of David
German Title:	Wol dern Menschen, der nicht wandelt
Author:	Paul Gerhardt
Translator:	J. Kelly (1867)
Meter:	8.7.8.7.7.7.8.8
Language:	English
Publication Date:	1867
Copyright:	This text is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before 1929.