Johann Sebastian Bach

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BWV 691a
Title If thou but suffer God to guide thee
Composed 1708, Weimar
Key A-Minor
Scoring

Organ

Movements Chorale
Category Chorales from Kirnberger collection
Event Lent
Author of text Georg Neumark, 1657
Text

If thou but suffer God to guide thee,
And hope in Him through all thy ways,
He'll give the strength what'er betide thee,
And bear thee through the evil days.
Who trusts in God's unchanging love
Builds on a rock that naught can move.

God knows full well when times of gladness
Shall be the needful thing for thee.
When He has tried thy soul with sadness
And from all guile has found thee free,
He comes to thee all unaware
And makes thee own His loving care.

Manuscript Music library, Leipzig; Yale University, New Haven; Johann Sebastian Bach Institute, Goettingen; Bach Archive, Leipzig, Central library, Zurich; Estate Johann Philipp Kirnberger

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