Who Is Like Unto You, O Lord!?

"Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?"

                               ~ Exodus 15:11

And if we really grasped even part of this we would be like Job who said:
“I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer— twice, but I will say no more.” (Job 40:4 - 5)Or like Isaiah who cried out, "Woe is me! I have seen the Lord and King!" (Isa. 6:5) Or like John who was the Beloved disciple reclining against our Lord, yet when he saw the Risen and Glorious Lord, he fell at the Lord's feet as dead! (Rev. 1:17)

O Lord, grant us sight that we may see you better. Our frail and earthly eyes are clouded by things around us—things that do not last, that do not satisfy. Our hearts need you else restless we will ever be. Let us see that you are ever with us. Let us desire with increasing singularity nothing besides You. For our heart and flesh will fail, but You, O God, are our strength and our portion forever. Amen.

Exodus 15:11 sung in Russian, a cappella.  A small sense of the grandeur of God!

(English Subtitles Provided)

The Russian words of Exodus 15:11, translated literally.

Кто, как Ты, Господи, между богами?
Kto, kak Ty, Gospodi, mezhdu bogami?
Who, like You, O Lord, among gods?

Кто, как Ты, величествен святостью,
Kto, kak Ty, velichestven svyatost'yu,
Who, like You, [with] august/sublime holiness,

досточтим хвалами, Творец чудес?
dostochtim khvalmi, Tvorets chudes?
honored [with] praises, Creator [of] wonders?

[Updated: 10-May-2020, 3:45pm]

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Index of Russian Translations

В Минуту Жизни Трудную — In the Troubled Time of Life

youtube video

Words found here: Песнь Возрождения

Written by: Михаил Юрьевич Лермонтов  (1814 - 1841)

В минуту жизни трудную,

V minutu zhizni trudnuyu,

In time [of] life troubled

  (ie, in the troubled time of life)

Теснится ль в сердце грусть,

Tesnitsya l' v serdtse grust',

Jostle  [there]  in  heart [a] sadness,

   Одну молитву чудную

   Odnu molitvu chudnuyu

   One prayer wonderful

   Твержу я наизусть.

   Tverzhu ya naizust'.

   Repeat I by rote.

Есть сила благодатная

Yest' sila blagodatnaya

[There] Is power [of] grace

В созвучье слов живых,

V sozvuch'ye slov zhivykh,

In harmony/consonance [of] words living

   И дышит непонятная,

   I dyshit neponyatnaya,

   And breathes [an] incomprehensible,

   Святая прелесть в них.

   Svyataya prelest' v nikh.

   Holy beauty in them.

С души как бремя скатится,

S dushi kak bremya skatitsya,

From [the] soul as burden will roll

Сомненье далеко — 

Somnen'ye daleko —

Doubt far away

   И верится, и плачется,

   I veritsya, i plachetsya,

   And it believes, and cries,

   И так легко, легко...

   I tak legko, legko...

   And so easily, easily...

--------  English Exact, Fits the Music  --------

In troubled seasons of my life
When cares will squeeze my soul,
A marv'lous prayer above the strife
I then repeat by rote.

There is a power in this grace—
Accord of living words;
It breathes ineffably in place—
Delights most holy stirred.

Then from my soul as burden flies,
All doubts are rolled away—
My heart believes and in faith cries
So lightly, bright as day...

Another version of this song

 

youtube video

A Guitar Trio playing this tune:

youtube video

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Когда Безбрежный Рокот Океана — When the Roar of the Ocean

 

Found in:  Песнь возрождения № 145

1.Когда безбрежный рокот океана

Kogda bezbrezhnyy rokot okeana

When vast roar [of the] ocean

Бросает, словно щепы корабли,

Brosayet, slovno shchepy korabli,

Throws, as though chips [the] ships

Неся их вдаль навстречу урагану,

Nesya ikh vdal' navstrechu uraganu,

Carrying them away towards [the] storm,

Я говорю: Как слаб, бессилен сын земли!

YA govoryu: Kak slab, bessilen syn zemli!

I say: how weak, powerless [is a] son of earth!

2. Когда смотрю на путь созвездий млечных,

Kogda smotryu na put' sozvezdiy mlechnykh,

When [I] look upon [the] path [of the] constellations milky

На солнца, что бегут из века в век

Na solntsa, chto begut iz veka v vek

Upon [the] sun, which runs from age to age

Вокруг миров в пространствах бесконечных,

Vokrug mirov v prostranstvakh beskonechnykh,

Around worlds in spaces boundless,

Я говорю: О, как ничтожен человек!

YA govoryu: O, kak nichtozhen chelovek!

I say: O how insignificant [is] man!

Припев:

Тогда молитву я творю, я творю

Togda molitvu ya tvoryu, ya tvoryu

Then [a] prayer I make, I make

И Богу в сердце говорю, я говорю:

I Bogu v serdtse govoryu, ya govoryu:

And [to] God in heart [I] speak, [I] speak:

Что человек, что помнишь, Боже, Ты его?

Chto chelovek, chto pomnish', Bozhe, Ty yego?

What [is] man, that think of, O God, You him?

  (ie, that You, O God, think of him?  (or keep him in mind?)

3. Когда я слышу, что Творец творенья,

Kogda ya slyshu, chto Tvorets tvoren'ya,

When I hear, that [the] Creator [of] creation,

Могущий мир стереть в единый миг,

Mogushchiy mir steret' v yedinyy mig,

Able [the] world to erase in [a] single moment,

Зовет людей в объятия прощенья,

Zovet lyudey v ob"yatiya proshchen'ya,

Calls people to embrace [of] forgiveness,

Я мыслю: Боже мир не стоит благ Твоих.

YA myslyu: Bozhe mir ne stoit blag Tvoikh.

I think: O God, [the] world [is] not worthy [of] blessing/goodness [of] Yours.

[This verse is not sung]

4. Когда я слышу: Бог для счастья твари

Kogda ya slyshu: Bog dlya schast'ya tvari

When I hear: God for happiness [of the] creature

Послал на муку** Сына Своего,

Poslal na muku Syna Svoyego,

Sent unto suffering Son [of] His,

Я погружаюсь в мысль о Божьем даре:

YA pogruzhayus' v mysl' o Bozh'yem dare:

I sink in thought about God's gift:

Что человек, что помнишь, Боже, Ты его?

Chto chelovek, chto pomnish', Bozhe, Ty yego?

What [is] man, that think of, O God, You him?

  (ie, that You, O God, think of him?  (or keep him in mind?)

5. Ты окружён пресветлыми духами;

Ty okruzhyon presvetlymi dukhami;

You surrounded by very-bright spirits;

И ангелы у трона Твоего

I angely u trona Tvoyego

And angels by throne [of] Yours

Поют хвалу безгрешными устами:

Poyut khvalu bezgreshnymi ustami:

Sing praises [of] sinless mouth:

Что человек, что помнишь, Боже, Ты его?

Chto chelovek, chto pomnish', Bozhe, Ty yego?

What [is] man, that think of, O God, You him?

  (ie, that You, O God, think of him?  (or keep him in mind?)

** Note from verse 4 —

    мука (accent on last syllable) == flour

    мука́ (accent on first syllable) == pain, suffering, torment, etc.

        both share similar etymologies from proto-Slavic:  mǭka

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I am Just a Poor Sinner

1.
I am just a poor sinner,
True, I am the worst.
If the God immortal
Had never loved me first,
Were not full of mercy
And saved me from sin's dread,
Then my soul forever
Would stay accursed and dead.

2.
I will look to Jesus
With faith there in my heart.
What the world then speaks for,
I'll gladly not take part.
If my Lord should speak aught
His word my heart shall praise,
I will sing of Him
with joy for all my days.

3.
In sweet meditations
I know my Shepherd dear.
He puts flight to sin
And drives away my fear.
Joyfully I long
With Christ then to abide,
Working for my Master
With Him nearby my side.

4.
Oh, my Lord, such wonder
the King gives to His own!
Bridegroom of my soul,
The Word of Truth alone!
May I always be
a poor soul that You drew,
So that all my needs
and breath be met in You.

Russian Hymn Music may be found here:
https://mscmusic.org/files/PV-074/074_O,_ya_greshnik_bednyy!.pdf

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Words by Nikolaus Ludwig Graf von Zinzendorf (1700-1760)

I am a Poor Sinner — О, Я Грешник Бедный

SOCART - О, я грешник Бедный
(Песнь Возрождения #68)

1 куплет

О, я грешник бедный!

O, ya greshnik bednyy!

O, I [am a] sinner poor!

Правда, я таков;

Pravda, ya takov;

True, I [am] such;

Если б Бог бессмертный

Yesli b Bog bessmertnyy

If [the] God immortal

Не был полн даров,

Ne byl poln darov,

were not full [of] gifts,

Не был полн любовью,

Ne byl poln lyubov'yu,

Were not full [of] love,

И не спас меня,

I ne spas menya,

And not saved me,

То погиб давно бы

To pogib davno by

Then died long ago would have

В мире этом я.

V mire etom ya.

In world this I.

(ie, Then I would have died long ago in this world.)

2 куплет

Буду с верой в сердце

Budu s veroy v serdtse

will with faith in heart

Я к Нему смотреть,

YA k Nemu smotret',

I to Him look,

Если «мир» не скажет, -

Yesli «mir» ne skazhet, -

If "world" not will say/tell —

Мне им не владеть.

Mne im ne vladet'.

to me it not to own

(ie, I will not own it)

Если ж я услышу

Yesli zh ya uslyshu

If [the] very same I will hear

Слово от Него, -

Slovo ot Nego, -

Word from Him, —

Буду славить сердцем,

Budu slavit' serdtsem,

[I] will praise [with] heart,

Буду петь Его. 

Budu pet' Yego.

[I] will sing Him

(or, I will sing It [that is sing the Word])

3 куплет

В сладком размышленье,

V sladkom razmyshlen'ye,

In sweet reflection / meditation,

Что Ты пастырь мой,

Chto Ty pastyr' moy,

That You [are] shepherd mine,

Исчезает сразу грех

Ischezayet srazu grekh

Disappear immediately sin

И страх людской;

I strakh lyudskoy;

And fears human (ie, human fears)

Радостно желаю

Radostno zhelayu

Joyfully desire

Я в Тебе пребыть,

YA v Tebe prebyt',

I in You to abide,

Dlya Tebya trudit'sya

Для Тебя трудиться

For You to work/labor

И с Тобою жить.

I s Toboyu zhit'.

And with You live.

4 куплет

Да, мой Бог! Ты дивный

Da, moy Bog! Ty divnyy

Yes, my God! You [are] wonderful

Царь даров святых,

Tsar' darov svyatykh,

King [of the] gifts [of the] saints

Слово правды вечной

Slovo pravdy vechnoy

Word [of] truth eternal

И души Жених.

I dushi Zhenikh.

And soul's Bridegroom

Пусть я буду бедным

Pust' ya budu bednym

May I be [a] poor

Духом пред Тобой,

Dukhom pred Toboy,

spirit before You,

Чтоб в Тебе нуждаться

Chtob v Tebe nuzhdat'sya

So that in You to need

И дышать Тобой!

I dyshat' Toboy!

And to breathe You!

Hymn Music may be found here:
https://mscmusic.org/files/PV-074/074_O,_ya_greshnik_bednyy!.pdf

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Words by Nikolaus Ludwig Graf von Zinzendorf (1700-1760)