Third Day of Easter (Easter Tuesday).

Poet unknown; PT (Leipzig, 1724); Facs: Neumann T, p. 430; PT (Leipzig, 1731); Facs: Neumann T, p. 441.

11 April 1724, Leipzig; again after 1731, Leipzig; Parody: ← BWV 134a/1-4, 7, 8.

BG 28; NBA I/10.

1. Recit. (T, A)

(T)
A heart which doth its Jesus clearly know
Perceiveth Jesus' new compassion
And fashions nought but for his Savior praise.

(A)
How happy is a spirit that believeth!

2. Aria (T)

Rise, ye of faith, sing ye the songs of rejoicing,
Upon you a glorious new light doth shine.

The living Redeemer bestows times of blessing;
Rise, spirits, ye must here an offering make ready
And pay to the Highest your duty with thanks.

3. Recit. (T, A)

(T)
Well thee, God hath remembered thee,
O thou, God's hallowed property;
The Savior lives and wins with might,
To bring thee health, and to his praise
Here now must Satan fear and tremble
And even hell itself be shaken.
The Savior dieth for thy sake
And for thy sake to hell doth journey;
He even poureth out his precious blood,
That thou within his blood prevail,
For this is what the foe shall vanquish,
And whene'er strife about thy soul doth press,
That thou e'en then not be o'ercome and fall.

(A)

The power of love, this shall my standard be
For bravery, for strength amidst the battle:
To gain for me the crown of triumph
Didst thou the crown of thorns accept,
My Lord, my God, my Savior now aris'n,
And now no foe on me may work his harm.

(T)
The foes, indeed, are past all counting.

(A)
God guards the souls to him e'er faithful.

(T)
The final foe is tomb, and death.(1)

(A)
God maketh it the end of all our woe.

4. Aria (A, T)

We thank thee and praise thee for thy warm affection
And come an off'ring from our lips to thee.

The victor awakens the songs of rejoicing,
The Savior appeareth and comforts us further(2)
And strengthens the church, now divided, himself.

5. Recit. (T, A)

(T)
But rouse, thyself, the thanks within our voices,
When they too much to earth are bound;
Yea, bring to pass that every moment
Thee and thy work no mortal heart forget;
Yea, let in thee refreshment of our breasts
And joy and comfort of all hearts
Which trust in thy protecting mercy
Both perfect and unending be.
And may thy hand now us embrace,
That we the end may clearly witness
Which us thy death and triumph win,
And that we after thine own resurrection
Not die, although we die in time,
And we thereby to thy great majesty now enter.

(A)
All in our power exalts thee, mighty God,
And lauds thee for thy grace and faith;
Thy resurrection hath these now renewed,
Thy mighty triumph us from foe doth free
And into life doth bring us;
To thee, thus, praise and thanks be given.

6. Chorus (S, A, T, B)

O echo, ye heavens, O earth, be thou gladdened,
Sing praise to the Highest, thou throng of great faith!

Now seeth and tasteth each spirit among us
The infinite kindness of our living Savior;
With comfort he comes as a victor to us.

1. Cf. 1 Cor. 15:26.

2. Cf. Lk. 24:36.

© Copyright  Z. Philip Ambrose

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