Bach@Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben @BWV147
Part 2 No. 4@Jesus, Joy of Men's Desiring
Jesus, Joy of Men's Desiring, is taken from Cantata 147, "Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben", which is one of Bach's earliest Leipzig cantatas.
Cantata 147 was first performed for the Feast of the Virgin Mary on July 2, 1723. It was not a new cantata but was a revision and arrangement of one of Bach's Weimar cantatas.
In place of the chorale that closed the Weimar version, Bach chose a chorale melody by Johann Schop and used the same setting to close both parts of the cantata.
The text used in Part 2, "Jesus remains my joy...He is my life's strength, My eyes desire...", undoubtedly led to the present title of this well-known chorale setting.
Don Dorsey@Arranging by a Synthesizer
On Sale as Bachbusters CD in 1985
Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben Choralchor
Jesus bleibt meine Freude,
Meine Herzen Trost und Saft,
Jesus wehret allem Leide,
Er ist meines Lebens Kraft,
Meine Augen Lust uns Sonne,
Meiner Seele Schatz und Wonne,
Darum lass ich Jesus nicht
Aus dem Herzen und Gesicht
Jesus, Joy of Men's Desiring
Jesus is my joy forever,
He the balm that calms my strife,
Jesus comforts all my sorrow,
With His strength sustains my life,
He my eyes' delight and pleasure,
He my soul's most costly treasure,
Never will I lose His light,
From my heart and from my sight.