BWV 151 Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt

Third Day of Christmas (St. John, Apostle and Evangelist).

Georg Christian Lehms, Gottgefälliges Kirchen-Opffer (Darmstadt, 1711); Facs: Neumann T, p. 257.

5. Nikolaus Herman, verse 8 of "Lobt Gott, ihr Christen allzugleich," 1560 (Wackernagel, III, #1365).

27 December 1725, Leipzig; again after 1728 (Neumann Hb).

BG 32; NBA I/3.

1. Aria (S)

Comfort sweet, my Jesus comes,
Jesus now is born amongst us!

    Heart and soul with joy are filled,
    For my dearest God hath me
    Now for heaven's prize elected.

2. Recit. (B)

Rejoice then, O my heart,
For now shall yield the pain
Which hath so long a time oppressed thee.
God hath his precious Son,
Whom he so high and dear doth hold,
Into this world committed.
He leaves the heavenly throne
And would the entire world
From its own chains of slav’ry
And its own servitude deliver.
O deed most wonderful!
God is made man and on earth desires
E’en lowlier than we to live and much more humbly.

3. Aria (A)

In Jesus' meekness can I strength,
Within his poverty find riches.

    To me doth this his poor estate
    Nought but pure health and wealth reveal,
    Yea, his own wonder-working hand
    Will just with wreathes of blessing bind me.

4. Recit. (T)

Thou precious Son of God,
Thou hast for me now heaven opened wide
And through thy humble life
The light of blessedness o'er us now brought.
Since thou now, thou alone,
The Father's keep and throne,
Because thou didst love us, relinquished,
We would in turn as well
For this within our hearts now hold thee.

5. Chorale (S, A, T, B)

Today he opens new the door
To that fair paradise;
The cherub stands no more in front,
God be laud, grace and praise.

© Copyright  Z. Philip Ambrose


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