Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity.

Poet unknown.

1. Samuel Rodigast, verse 1 of the hymn, 1674 (Fischer-Tümpel, IV, #467); 2-5. based freely on verses 2-5; 6. verse 6 of the hymn.

17 September 1724, Leipzig.

BG 22; NBA I/22.

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

What God doth, that is rightly done,
His will is just forever;
Whatever course he sets my life,
I will trust him with calmness.
He is my God,
Who in distress
Knows well how to support me.
So I yield him all power.

2. Recit. (B)

His word of truth doth stand secure
And will not e'er betray me,(1)
For it the faithful lets not fall or to their ruin go.
Yea, since it on the path to life doth lead me,
My heart doth calm itself and findeth satisfaction
In God's paternal faith and care
And shall forbear
When I'm by mishap stricken.
God can with his own hands almighty
Change my misfortune.

3. Aria (T)

Disturb thyself do not, discouraged spirit,
If thee the cross's cup so bitter tastes!

God is thy wise physician, his wonders great,
Who can no fatal poison pour for thee,
E'en though its sweetness may quite hidden lie.(2)

4. Recit. (A)

Now, the eternally contracted bond
Bides e'er my faith's firm base.
It saith with confidence
In death and living:
God is my light,
To him I am committed.(3)
And though each day should offer
Its own peculiar torment,(4)
Yet for the pain which is endured,
When we have done with weeping,
At last shall come salvation's day,
When God's true loyal will appeareth.

5. Aria (S, A)

When the cross's bitter sorrows
With the flesh's weakness struggle,
It is ne'erless rightly done.
Who the cross through folly base
For himself too heavy reckons
Will e'en later have no pleasure.

6. Chorale [Verse 6] (S, A, T, B)

What God doth, that is rightly done,
To that will I be cleaving.
Though out upon the cruel road
Need, death and suff'ring drive me,
E'en so will God,
All fatherhood,
Within his arms enfold me;
So I yield him all power.

1. Except for und, verbatim from verse 2 of the hymn.

2. The doctor who disguises the healing, but bitter medicine with honey is for Lucretius (ca. 99-44 B.C.) analogous to the poet who sweetens the difficult doctrine of Epicurus with the charm of the muses (De Rerum Natura I. 933-950).

3. Verbatim from verse 4 of the hymn.

4. Cf. Mt. 6:34.

© Copyright Z. Philip Ambrose

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