Johann Sebastian Bach composed the church cantata Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut (My heart swims in blood)[1] BWV 199 in Weimar between 1712 and 1713, and performed it on the eleventh Sunday after Trinity, 12 August 1714.

The librettist wrote a series of alternating recitatives and arias, and included as the sixth movement (of eight) the third stanza of Johann Heermann's hymn "Wo soll ich fliehen hin".

As concertmaster, he assumed the principal responsibility for composing new works, specifically cantatas for the Schlosskirche (palace church), on a monthly schedule.

[3] The third stanza of Johann Heermann's hymn "Wo soll ich fliehen hin" is integrated as the sixth movement, to the melody of "Auf meinen lieben Gott".

[7] When he performed it again in Leipzig on the eleventh Sunday after Trinity in 1723 (8 August) it was the first solo cantata and the most operatic work which he had presented to the congregation up to that point.

In the same service, he also performed a new work, Siehe zu, daß deine Gottesfurcht nicht Heuchelei sei, BWV 179: one before and one after the sermon.

[3] The cantata, structured in eight movements, is scored as chamber music for a solo soprano voice (S), and a Baroque instrumental ensemble of oboe (Ob), violins (Vl), viola (Va), and basso continuo (Bc) including bassoon (Fg) and violone (Vo).

[9] The title page of the parts for this version reads: "Geistliche Cantate / Mein Herze schwimt im Blut / â / Soprano solo / 1 Hautb.

[1][3] Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut, Weil mich der Sünden Brut In Gottes heilgen Augen Zum Ungeheuer macht.

[3] The middle section begins with a dissonance to stress the sorrowful image of "Und ihr nassen Tränenquellen" ("And you, moist springs of tears").

[8] The second aria, "Tief gebückt und voller Reue" ("Deeply bowed and filled with regret"),[1] is dominated by rich string sound.

The wording of its conclusion, "In deine tiefen Wunden, da ich stets Heil gefunden" ("into Your deep wounds, where I have always found salvation") leads to the following recitative.

[8] The last recitative, "Ich lege mich in diese Wunden" ("I lay myself on these wounds"),[1] introduces a different mood;[3] the final measures are a "soaring melisma", a "joyously uplifting prelude" to the last movement.