Misericordias Domini (Second Sunday after Easter).

Poet unknown.

1. Jn. 10:12; 3. Cornelius Becker, verse 1 of an adaptation of Ps. 23, 1598; 6. Ernst Christoph Homburg, verse 4 of "Ist Gott mein Schild und Helfersmann," 1658 (Fischer-Tümpel, IV, #342).

15 April 1725, Leipzig.

BG 20,1; NBA I/11.

1. Aria [Dictum] (B)

I am a shepherd true, a shepherd true will give up his life for his sheep.

2. Aria (A)

Jesus is a shepherd true,
For he hath his life already
For his sheep here freely given,
Which shall no man steal from him.
Jesus is a shepherd true.

3. Chorale (S)

The Lord my faithful shepherd is,
Him do I trust entirely,
He leads to pasture me, his lamb,
To green and lovely meadow,
To waters fresh he leads me,
My soul to nourish with his strength
And gracious word of blessing.

4. Recit. (T)

If e'er the hirelings slumber,
There watcheth o'er the flock this faithful shepherd,
So that each of them with welcome rest
On mead and pasture can take pleasure
In which the streams of life are flowing.
For should the wolf of hell seek there to enter,
The sheep for to devour,
Is he by this good shepherd made to close his jaws.

5. Aria (T)

See what his love hath wrought!

My Jesus holds with kindly care
His flock securely in his keeping
And on the cross's branch hath poured out
For them his precious blood.

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

With God my refuge, shepherd true,
No danger will me e'er befall:
Yield, all ye who despise me,
All ye who cause me dread and pain,
It will to your own harm yet lead,
For God is my companion.

© Copyright Z. Philip Ambrose

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