Fear not, O little flock, the foe

Full Text

Fear not, O little flock, the foe
Who madly seeks your overthrow,
Dread not his rage and power:
What though your courage sometimes faints,
His seeming triumph o'er God's saints
Lasts but one little hour.

Be of good cheer; your cause belongs
To Him who can avenge your wrongs,
Leave it to Him our Lord.
Though hidden yet from all our eyes,
He sees the Gideon who shall rise
To save us, and His word.

As true as God's own word is true,
Nor earth nor hell with all their crew
Against us shall prevail.
A jest and by-word are they grown;
God is with us, we are His own,
Our victory cannot fail.

Amen, Lord Jesus, grant our prayer!
Great Captain, now Thine arm make bare;
Fight for us once again!
So shall Thy saints and martyrs raise
A mighty chorus to Thy praise,
World without end. Amen.

Lyra Germanica: The Christian Year, 1861

Author (attributed to): Johann Michael Altenburg

Altenburg, Johann Michael, b. at Alach, near Erfurt, on Trinity Sunday, 1584. After completing his studies he was for some time teacher and precentor in Erfurt. In 1608 he was appointed pastor of Ilversgehofen and Marbach near Erfurt; in 1611, of Troch-telborn; and in 1621 of Gross-Sommern or Som-merda near Erfurt. In the troublous war times he was forced, in 1631, to flee to Erfurt, and there, on the news of the victory of Leipzig, Sept. 17, 1631, he composed his best known hymn. He remained in Erfurt without a charge till, in 1637, he was appointed diaconus of the Augustino Church, and, in 1638, pastor of St. Andrew's Church. He d. at Erfurt February 12, 1640 (Koch, iii. 115-117 ; Allg. Deutsche Biog., i. p. 363, and x. p. 766—the latte… Go to person page >

Author (attributed to): Jacobus Fabricius

Fabricius, Jacob, a chaplain in the army of Gustavus Adolphus, was born in 1593, and died in 1654. There is some doubt as to the authorship of the hymn here credited to him. Some hymnologists have attributed it to Johann Michael Altenburg (1584-1640), a preacher, teacher, and musician of Erfurt, and others attribute it to Gustavus Adolphus. Fear not, O little flock, the foe 445 Hymn Writers of the Church, 1911 by Charles Nutter Go to person page >

Translator: Catherine Winkworth

Catherine Winkworth is "the most gifted translator of any foreign sacred lyrics into our tongue, after Dr. Neale and John Wesley; and in practical services rendered, taking quality with quantity, the first of those who have laboured upon German hymns. Our knowledge of them is due to her more largely than to any or all other translators; and by her two series of Lyra Germanica, her Chorale Book, and her Christian Singers of Germany, she has laid all English-speaking Christians under lasting obligation." --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A., 1872… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Fear not, O little flock, the foe
German Title: Verzage nicht, du Häuflein klein
Author (attributed to): Johann Michael Altenburg
Author (attributed to): Jacobus Fabricius
Translator: Catherine Winkworth (1855)
Meter: 8.8.6.8.8.6
Language: English

Notes

Verzage nicht du Häuflein klein. [In Trouble.] Concerning the authorship of this hymn there are three main theories—i. that it is by Gustavus Adolphus; ii. that the ideas are his and the diction that of his chaplain, Dr. Jacob Fabricius; and iii. that it is by Altenburg.
This hymn has ever been a favourite in Germany, was sung in the house of P. J. Spener every Sunday afternoon, and of late years has been greatly used at meetings of the Gustavus Adolphus Union—-an association for the help of Protestant Churches in Roman Catholic countries. In translations it has passed into many English and American collections.
Translations in common use:—
1. Fear not, 0 little flock, the foe. A good translation from the text of 1638, omitting stanza iv., by Miss Winkworth, in her Lyra Germanica, 1855, p. 17. Included, in England in Kennedy, 1863, Snepp's Songs of Grace & Glory, 1871, Free Church Hymn Book, 1882, and others; and in America in the Sabbath Hymn Book, 1858, Pennsylvania Lutheran Church Book, 1868, Hymns of the Church, 1869, Baptist Hymn Book, 1871, Hymns and Songs of Praise, 1874, and many others. [Rev. James Mearns, M. A..]

-- Excerpts from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Timeline

Instances

Instances (3)TextImageAudioScore
Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary #375Text
Lutheran Service Book #666Text
Trinity Hymnal #566Text