Sunday Cantata

"Christ Jesus lay in death’s strong bands". Written when Bach was only 22, this is one of his finest cantatas. It sets the words of Luther’s great Easter hymn, celebrating Jesus’ victory over death.

"King of heaven, be welcome". As Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and was welcomed by His disciples, so Christians are called to welcome Jesus in faith.

"Come, sweet hour of death". The soul’s eager longing to be finally united with Jesus—an encounter that makes the hour of death itself a sweet hour.

"I will not let go of you unless you bless me" (Genesis 32:26). A funeral cantata, entrusting oneself to Jesus, as the only trustworthy comfort.

"God’s time is always the best time". One of Bach’s best-known and most beautiful vocal works, this funeral cantata sets a collection of funeral sentences, which remind us of our mortality and call us to place our trust in God’s promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

"To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul". Bach’s very first cantata, a setting of Psalm 25.

"Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord". A penitential cantata, setting Psalm 130.

"Jesus took the twelve". A prayer to Jesus to draw us to Himself, to enable us to follow Him, so that nothing will cause us to lose our salvation.

"Lord, keep us steadfast in Thy word". A chorale cantata paraphrasing and elaborating on one of Luther’s best-known hymns, calling on God to protect His children by the power of His word from the enemies of the faith.

"I am content with my fortune". An acknowledgement that everything we have is from God, that all of it is an unmerited gift, and that Christians have the hope of a better reward than what this life offers.

"My sighs, my tears". A call to the troubled and anxious to turn to God in prayer: He will not fail to help.

"My dear Jesus is lost". Mary and Joseph despaired when the boy Jesus was lost to them in Jerusalem (Luke 2), and rejoiced at finding Him. Likewise, the soul to whom Jesus is lost because of sin and unbelief must despair, but rejoices when it learns again to trust Jesus’ word of promise.

"All those from Sheba shall come". As the wise men from the East came to worship Jesus with their gifts (Matthew 2), Christians, too, are called to offer themselves to Jesus in the confidence that He will graciously receive us.

"The newborn little child". This is a chorale cantata based on a 16th-century Christmas hymn, rejoicing that Jesus’ coming into the world has taken away the condemnation of our sins and opened the way to paradise.

"Prepare the ways, prepare the paths!" A call to repentance and faith in anticipation of the coming of Christ to judge the world.

A chorale cantata paraphrasing and meditating on the ancient Advent hymn, "Saviour of the Nations Come".

"Soar joyfully aloft". Based on Psalm 24, this cantata in the promised coming of Christ, who is the King of Glory.

A prayer anticipating the coming of the Saviour of the world. Based on the ancient Advent hymn, "Saviour of the Nations, Come".

"Wake, awake, for night is flying". Perhaps the greatest of all the cantatas, based on one of the greatest Lutheran hymns, by Philipp Nicolai. Based on the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25), its subject matter is the love between, and the approaching wedding feast of, Christ and the Church.

"Watch! Pray! Pray! Watch!" Since Jesus will soon return to judge the living and the dead, and our lives can end at any moment, Christians ought to be watchful and diligent in prayer - and joyfully confident in the joy Jesus has prepared for them.

"You prince of peace, Lord Jesus Christ". The hymn by Jakob Ebert on which this chorale cantata is based was written as a prayer for peace in time of war. It is an act of repentance over our sins and an entreaty to Jesus, the prince of peace, to bring peace into our present suffering.

"Ah, how fleeting, ah, how insubstantial". A chorale cantata based on a hymn by Michael Franck, which laments the brevity of human life – and therefore placing one’s trust in God and His eternal faithfulness.

"A mighty fortress is our God". A triumphant setting and expansion of Luther’s famous battle hymn of the Reformation.

"I believe, dear Lord, help my unbelief". Drawing on the account of Jesus’ healing of the official’s son in John 4, offering comfort to the weak in faith that whoever trusts in Jesus will never be disappointed.

"Soul, Adorn Yourself with Gladness". A chorale cantata, setting and expanding one of the great Lutheran communion hymns, by Johann Franck.