The six- stanza song, composed in pair rhymes after an Advent sermon, adheres closely to the biblical word of promise in the prologue of Deutero-Isaiah ( Isa . 40: 1-10 Lut ). The intensifying doubling of the initial request (“Consolate, comfort”) of the Bible text is put in front of all stanzas in varying degrees. The song interprets the Old Testament prophecy Christologically , as is evident from the clear addition in the 1st stanza. Likewise, the 3rd stanza adopts the New Testament interpretation of John's call to penance . Rode's text accentuates the congregation as “zag” (1 line 2) and “tired” (2 line 2), which looks towards the appearance of the Savior who illuminates the world.
The four prophetic calls for consolation (str. 1–2), to prepare the way (str. 3–4), to preach about the transience of the flesh (str. 5) and to prepare for the coming of the Lord (str. 6) are developed. .
2 Speak kindly to Jerusalem, preaching to her
that her bondage is over, that her guilt is forgiven;
for she has received double punishment
from the hand of the Lord for all her sins.
3 A voice calls out
, Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a flat path in the steppe for our God.
4 All valleys shall be raised, and all mountains and hills shall be made low,
and whatever is uneven shall be straight, and whatever is hilly shall be level;
5 for the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all flesh together shall see;
for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
6 A voice said, Preach! And I said, What should I preach?
All flesh is grass, and all his goodness is like a flower in the field.
7 The grass withers, the flower withered; for the breath of the Lord blows on it.
Yes, the people are grass!
8 The grass withers, the flower withered, but the word of our God endures forever.
9 Zion, you messenger of goodness, go up on a high mountain; Jerusalem, you
messenger of goodness , lift up your voice with might; lift them up and do not be afraid!
Say to the cities of Judah, See, there is your God;
10 behold, there is the Lord God! He comes mighty, and his arm will rule.
See what he has won is with him, and what he has earned goes before him.
1. "Comfort, comfort," says the Lord,
"my people, so that they may not hesitate any more."
Christ, the Son of God, takes from you the
burden of sin and death .
2. You speak in a friendly, friendly manner
and speak to the tired people:
"The torment is over, the servant is free,
all iniquity is forgiven."
3. Level, God level the path,
at valley and hill begins.
The voice calls out: "Repent now,
for the kingdom of heaven is near to you."
4. See, see, all the world
illuminates the glory of the Lord.
The time is here, the hour strikes,
God's mouth has spoken.
5. Everything, all flesh is grass,
the flower will be pale and pale.
The grass withered, the flesh faded,
but God's word remains forever.
6. Raise your voice, speak
with force, so that no one is afraid.
The Lord is coming, your God is there
and rules vastly far and near.
Helmut Kornemann: 15 - Comforts, comforts, says the Lord . In: Gerhard Hahn , Jürgen Henkys (Hrsg.): Liederkunde zum Evangelisches Gesangbuch . No.10 . Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 2004, ISBN 3-525-50333-4 , pp.3–8 ( limited preview in Google Book search).
Remarks
^ Gerhard Engelsberger: Waldemar Rode (1903-1960). On detours to the consolation community . In: Ders: Images of God's Coming. Poets, pictures and message of the Advent carols. Evangelical Press Association for Baden eV, Karlsruhe 1992, ISBN 3-87210-341-5 , pp. 133-140.
