Heinrich Schütz Danket dem Herren, denn er ist freundlich

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of gods:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks to the Lord of lords:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him who alone doeth great wonders:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that by wisdom made the heavens:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that stretched out the earth above the waters:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that made great lights:
for his mercy endureth for ever:
The sun to rule by day:
for his mercy endureth for ever:
The moon and stars to rule by night:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn:
for his mercy endureth for ever:

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Danket dem Herren; denn er ist freundlich,
denn seine Güte währet ewiglich.
Danket dem Gott aller Götter,
denn seine Güte währet ewiglich.
Danket dem Herrn aller Herren,
denn seine Güte währet ewiglich;
der große Wunder tut alleine,
denn seine Güte währet ewiglich;
der die Himmel ordentlich gemacht hat,
denn seine Güte währet ewiglich;
der die Erde auf Wasser ausgebreitet hat,
denn seine Güte währet ewiglich;
der große Lichter gemacht hat,
denn seine Güte währet ewiglich!
Die Sonn, dem Tage fürzustehen,
denn seine Güte währet ewiglich,
den Monden und Sterne, der Nacht fürzustehen:
denn seine Güte währet ewiglich;
der Ägypten schlug an ihren ersten Geburten,
denn seine Güte währet ewiglich,
und führt’ Israel heraus,
denn seine Güte währet ewiglich,
durch mächtige Hand und ausgestreckten Arm,

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Oliver Geisler
Translation: Elizabeth Robinson

“intended for singing”
The “Psalmen Davids” and the art of consolation Heinrich Schütz was fortunate. In the years around 1600 the number of portents of the end of the world increased. And this would also naturally affect the Dresden court, even if it sometimes seemed to be in a world of its own. Constellations of stars, curious events, cometary impacts – all these happenings were rapidly broadcast through the mass media of the Baroque – pamphlets and articles. And the more frequently there were signs giving cause for concern, the nearer the predicted end approached. In the mid-16th century, 2046 was marked out as the end. But at the time when Schütz took up his post in Dresden, the year 1625 was regarded as the point in time when the ‘last trumpet’ would sound. None of this happened – as stated, he was fortunate,

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