It is based on Paul Eber's 1554 Lutheran hymn about the angels in twelve stanzas "Herr Gott, dich loben alle wir", to a melody known in English as Old 100th.
The cantata is festively scored for SATB soloists and choir, three trumpets, timpani, flauto traverso, three oboes, strings and continuo.
The cantata is based on a 1554 hymn in twelve stanzas by Paul Eber,[4][8] a paraphrase of Philipp Melanchthon's Latin "Dicimus grates tibi".
[10] It is attributed to Loys Bourgeois and is known as the famous tune of the Doxology "Praise God, from whom all blessings flow".
Bach scored the work for four vocal soloists (soprano (S), alto (A), tenor (T) and bass (B)), a four-part choir, a four-part choir, and a festive Baroque instrumental ensemble of three trumpets (Tr), timpani, flauto traverso (Ft), three oboes (Ob), two violins (Vl), viola (Va), and basso continuo.
In the opening chorus, Herr Gott, dich loben alle wir ... für dein Geschöpf der Engel schon (Lord God, we all praise you ... for your creation of the beautiful angels),[1] Bach illustrates the singing of angels in different choirs by assigning different themes to the strings, the oboes and the trumpets, in a rich scoring typical only for the most festive occasions of the liturgical year such as Christmas.
[7] A recitative for alto, Ihr heller Glanz und hohe Weisheit zeigt, wie Gott sich zu uns Menschen neigt (Their brilliant radiance and exalted wisdom shows how God bends himself down to us humans),[1] is set secco.
[4] A bass aria, Der alte Drache brennt vor Neid (The old dragon burns with envy),[1] is unusually scored for only trumpets, timpani and continuo, describing the battle of the angels against Satan.
[7] A duet recitative of soprano and tenor, Wohl aber uns, daß Tag und Nacht die Schar der Engel wacht (But it is fortunate for us, who day and night are guarded by the throng of angels),[1] recalls guardian angels saving Daniel in the lions' den and the three men in the furnace.
[9] The closing chorale, Darum wir billig loben dich (Therefore, we rightly praise you),[1] is a four-part setting of the 11th hymn stanza[11] that includes again "the angelic trumpets".