New Year's Day (Feast of the Circumcision).

Poet unknown.

1. Ps. 146:1; 2. Jakob Ebert, verse 1 of "Du Friedefürst, Herr Jesu Christ," 1601; 3. Ps. 146:5; 5. Ps. 146:10; 7. Ebert, verse 3 of the hymn.

Date uncertain.

BG 30; NBA I/4.

1. Chorus [Dictum] (S, A, T, B)

Praise thou the Lord, O my spirit.

2. Chorale [Verse 1] (S)

Thou Prince of peace, Lord Jesus Christ,
True man and very God,
A helper strong in need thou art
In life as well as death.
So we alone
In thy dear name
Are to thy Father crying.

3. Recit. [Dictum] (T)

Blest he who hath for his help Jacob's God, whose hope upon the Lord, on his God, is resting.

4. Aria (T)

Thousandfold misfortune, terror,
Sadness, fear and sudden death,
Heathen who the land have covered,
Sorrows and still greater need,
These may other nations see,
We, instead, a year of grace.

5. Aria [Dictum] (B)

The Lord is king eternally, thy God, Zion, evermore.

6. Aria (T) with instr. chorale

Jesus, of thy flock the Savior,
Bide in future our defense,
That this year bring us good fortune
And keep watch in every place.
Lead, O Jesus, this thy throng
Till the coming next new year.

7. Chorus [Verse 3] (S, A, T, B)

Hallelujah!(1)
Give thought, Lord Jesus, to thy work:
Thou art a Prince of peace;
So help us one and all with grace
Now and at each delay;
Let us henceforth
Thy godly word
In peace make ring still longer.

1. Halleluja is apparently from Ps. 146:10.

© Copyright  Z. Philip Ambrose

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