"Befiehl du deine Wege" is a Lutheran hymn by Paul Gerhardt. It is one of his best known hymns,[1] and was first published in 1653 in Johann Crüger's collection of hymns and popular religious songs Praxis pietatis melica.[2]

Melody and use

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The hymn is in both the standard Lutheran and Catholic German hymnbooks.

Hassler hymn tune

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Johann Sebastian Bach used "Befiehl du deine Wege" and its 1601 tune by Hans Leo Hassler ("Herzlich tut mich verlangen", Zahn No. 5385a) in his St. Matthew Passion.[3][4]

Gesius hymn tune

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"Befiehl du deine Wege" is also sung to a tune published by Bartholomäus Gesius in 1603, "Lobet Gott unsern Herren" (Zahn No. 5393): Bach used this melody for instance in his BWV 272 four-part chorale.[5][6]

References

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  1. ^ Bertheau, Carl. "Gerhardt, Paulus" in Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (Volume 8), Historischen Kommission bei der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1878, pp. 774–783
  2. ^ Bach Digital Work 00342 at Bach Digital website
  3. ^ BWV2a (1998), p. 475
  4. ^ Luke Dahn (2017). BWV 244.44 at bach-chorales.com
  5. ^ BWV2a (1998), p. 477
  6. ^ Luke Dahn (2017). BWV 272 at bach-chorales.com

See also

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