BWV 248V Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen
(Weihnachts-Oratorium V)
Sunday after New Year's Day. Poet unknown (Picander?); PT (Leipzig, 1734); Facs: Neumann T, p. 453. 2 (44). Mt. 2:1; 3 (45). Mt. 2:2; 4 (46). Georg Weissel, verse 5 of "Nun, liebe Seel, nun ist es Zeit," 1642 (Fischer-Tümpel, III, #15); 6 (48). Mt. 2:3; 8 (50). Mt. 2:4-6; 11 (53). Johann Franck, verse 9 of "Ihr Gestirn, ihr hohlen Lüfte," 1655 (Fischer-Tümpel, IV, #109). 2 January 1735, Leipzig; Parody: 3 (45) ← St. Mark Passion, BWV 247/114; 4 (47) ← BWV 215/7. BG 5, 2; NBA II/6. 1 (43). Chorus (S, A, T, B) Glory to thee, God, be sounded
Thy desire is for our good, For today Is our ev'ry wish well grounded, And thy blessing to us our joy displayed 2 (44). Recit. (T) Evangelist Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the land of Judea in the days when Herod was the king, behold, there came the wise from the East to Jerusalem, who said: 3 (45). Chorus (S, A, T, B) The Wise Men; Recit. (A) Where doth the newborn babe, the king of the Jews, lie?
He dwells here, mine and his the joy!
It is for your salvation risen! My Savior, thou, thou art that light, Which to the nations shall shine also, And they, they do not know thee yet, As they e'en now would pay thee honor. How bright, how clear must then thy rays, Belovéd Jesus, be! 4 (46). Chorale (S, A, T, B) Thy light all darkness doth consume, 5 (47). Aria (B) Illumine, too, my gloomy spirit,
In all the works which I shall do; My soul shall this keep from all wicked endeavor. 6 (48). Recit. (T) Evangelist And thus when Herod the king had heard this, he trembled, and with him the whole of Jerusalem. 7 (48). Recit. (A) Wherefore would ye be frightened? 8 (50). Recit. (T) Evangelist And assembling all the high priests and scribes from amongst the people, did he then inquire of them, where the birth of Christ was supposed to happen. And they said to him: “In Bethlehem in the land of Judea; for even thus is it written by the prophet: ‘And thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Judea art by no means the least among the princes of Judah; for from thee shall to me come the ruler, who shall over my people Israel be master.’” 9 (51). Aria (S, A, T) Ah, when will that time appear then?
10 (52). Recit. (A) My dearest rules anon.The heart which his dominion loveth, Itself to him entirely giveth Shall be my Jesus’ throne. 11 (53). Chorale (S,A,T,B) Though in truth my heart’s poor lodging Is no lovely royal hall, Rather just a dreary dwelling, Yet, when doth thy mercy call Bringing it the merest glimmer, It seems as though with sun to shimmer. © Copyright Z. Philip Ambrose |