Cantata Cantata BWV 137
Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren
English Translation in Interlinear Format
Cantata BWV 137 - Praise the Lord, the mighty king of honour

Event: Cantata for the 12^th Sunday after Trinity
Readings: Epistle: 2 Corinthians 3: 4-11; Gospel: Mark 7: 31-37
Text: Joachim Neander (1680)

Biblical quotations in green font, chorales in purple

1

Chorus [S, A, T, B]

Tromba I-III, Tamburi, Oboe I/II, Violino I/II, Viola, Continuo

Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren,
Praise the Lord, the mighty king of honour,
Meine geliebete Seele, das ist mein Begehren.
My beloved soul,that is my desire.
Kommet zu Hauf,
Gather together
Psalter und Harfen, wacht auf!
Psaltery and harps , awake !
Lasset die Musicam hören.
Let the music be heard.

2

Aria [Alto]

Violino solo, Continuo

Lobe den Herren, der alles so herrlich regieret,
Praise the Lord who rules all things so excellently
Der dich auf Adelers Fittichen sicher geführet,
Who bears you on eagle’s wings securely
Der dich erhält,
Who supports you
Wie es dir selber gefällt;
As you yourself wish ;
Hast du nicht dieses verspüret?
Have you not felt this ?

3

Aria Duet) [Soprano, Bass]

Oboe I/II, Continuo

Lobe den Herren, der künstlich und fein dich bereitet,
Praise the Lord who endows you with such subtle art,
Der dir Gesundheit verliehen, dich freundlich geleitet;
Who grants you good health and guides you in a friendly way;
In wieviel Not
In how many desperate circumstances
Hat nicht der gnädige Gott
Has not God in his mercy
Über dir Flügel gebreitet!
Spread his wings over you!

4

Aria & Chorale [Tenor]

Tromba, Continuo

Lobe den Herren, der deinen Stand sichtbar gesegnet,
Praise the Lord,who has clearly blessed your position,
Der aus dem Himmel mit Strömen der Liebe geregnet;
Who from heaven has rained down streams of love upon you
Denke dran,
Think about
Was der Allmächtige kann,
What the Almighty can do,
Der dir mit Liebe begegnet.
Who meets you with his love.

5

Chorale [S, A, T, B]

Tromba I-III, Tamburi, Oboe I/II e Violino I col Soprano, Violino II coll'Alto, Viola col Tenore, Continuo

Lobe den Herren, was in mir ist, lobe den Namen!
Praise the Lord, all that is in me, praise his name !
Alles, was Odem hat, lobe mit Abrahams Samen!
Let all that has breath praise him with Abraham’s seed !
Er ist dein Licht,

He is your light,
Seele, vergiss es ja nicht;
My soul, do not forget this;
Lobende, schließe mit Amen!
End your praise with Amen !

Note on the text

BWV 137 is a chorale cantata for the 12^th Sunday after Trinity but was not performed in 1724 as part of Bach’s series of chorale cantatas but on 19^th August 1725. It differs also from other chorale cantatas as for the first time since BWV 4 Christ lag in Todes Banden (1708 or earlier) Bach sets all the text of the chorale without recitatives or arias of poetic reflection. The text is by Joachim Neander (1650-1680) and was part of a collection published in his native city of Bremen in 1679 with the title Glaub- und Liebes-Uebung:auffgemuntert durch einfältige Bundeslieder und Dank-Psalmen. Without direct quotation it seems based on Psalm 103 and the psalms of praise that conclude the Psalter (145-150). The hymn and its associated melody are familiar in English as Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation.

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This Translation in Parallel Format

English Translation by Francis Browne (December 2011)
Contributed by Francis Browne (December 2011)

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