Treuer Wächter Israel

Treuer Wächter Israel. Johann Heermann* (1585-1647). First published in Heermann’s Devoti Musica Cordis (Leipzig and Breslau, 1630). It was the second of the ‘Thränen-Lieder’ ‘songs of tears’) in the section ‘Zur Zeit der Verfolgung und Drangseligkeit’ (‘in the time of the persecution and distress of pious Christians’: cf. ‘Herr unser Gott, lass nicht zuschanden werden’* and ‘O Jesu Christe, wahres Licht’*). It had 13 stanzas. It is found in the ‘Sammlung und Sendung’ (Assembling and Mission) section of EG, in seven 7-line stanzas (EG 248). The omitted ones were 3, 4, 5, 6 and 11. The image of the ‘Wächter’ (guard, watchman) is taken from Psalm 121:4, ‘Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall...