Schauet doch und sehet, ob irgendein

BWV 46 Schauet doch und sehet, ob irgendein

Tenth Sunday after Trinity.

Poet unknown.

1. Lam. 1:12; 6. Johann Matthäus Meyfart, a supplemental verse 9 added in 1633 to Balthasar Schnurr's "O großer Gott von Macht" (Fischer-Tümpel, III, #321).

1 August 1723, Leipzig; Parody: 1 → Mass in B Minor, BWV 232/8.

BG 10; NBA I/19.

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

Look indeed and see then if there be a grief like to my grief which hath stricken me. For the Lord hath me with sorrow made full on that day of his furious wrath.

2. Recit. (T)
Then cry aloud, thou fallen town of God,
Thou wretched heap of stone and ashes!
Let brimming streams of tears be flowing,
For thee hath stricken now
An irreplaceable default
Of that most precious grace
Which thou must do without
Through thine own fault.
Thou wast just like Gomorra sternly dealt with,
Albeit not destroyed.
Oh, better if thou hadst been leveled low
Than that of Christ the foe should now be heard to curse.
Though thou wouldst Jesus’ tears not heed,
Yet heed thou still the tidal wave of passion
Which thou upon thyself dost summon,
For God, who long forbears,
The rod of judgment wields.

3. Aria (B)

Thy tempest gathered from great distance,
But now its fires at last break loose

4. Recit. (A)

And yet thou must, O sinner, not suppose
That now Jerusalem alone
Is more than others filled with error!
To you already one may read this judgment:
Since ye shun amendment
And daily your sins are increasing,
Ye shall every one meet that dreadful destruction.(1)

5. Aria (A)

Yet Jesus shall e'en midst the judgment
The righteous' shield and helper be,
He gathers them, his sheep well meant,
As his own chicks, so tenderly;(2)
When tempests of vengeance have sinners rewarded,
He helps the pious dwell well guarded.

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

O faithful God, so great,
Before thee none hath weight
But thy Son Jesus Christ,
Who thy great wrath hath stilled;
So gaze upon those wounds of his,
His torment, fear and grievous pain;
And for his sake protect us,
Nor for our sins repay us

1. Cf. Lk. 13:5.

2. Cf. Mt. 23:37.

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