While the text of the Advent cantata was written by the Weimar court poet Salomo Franck, the librettist of the adapted version who added several recitatives is anonymous.

He scored it for four vocal soloists, a four-part choir, and a Baroque instrumental ensemble of trumpet, two oboes, strings, and continuo.

The closing chorale of the earlier work was replaced by the hymn "Jesu, meiner Seelen Wonne" (1661) by Martin Janus, while using the melody of "Werde munter, mein Gemüte" by Johann Schop.

It was part of his duties to supply music for the Sundays and feast days of the liturgical year at four churches of the town, and he decided to compose new cantatas for these occasions.

[6] The Advent cantata text was written by the Weimar court poet, librarian and numismatist, Salomo Franck,[7] who published it in his 1717 collection Evangelische Sonn- und Festtages-Andachten.

[8] He wrote four arias in a row, focused on the Advent message of "repentance, faith, preparation and conversion",[7] in the words of John Eliot Gardiner who conducted the Bach Cantata Pilgrimage in 2000.

Maria macht ihr Innerstes der Seelen durch Dank und Rühmen kund" (Blessed mouth!

Mary makes the inmost part of her soul known through thanks and praise),[1] introduces the tender and emotive environment which characterises the work after the opening festive flourish.

[19] French musicologist Gilles Cantagrel describes the recitative as having a character "tenderly evoking the Virgin singing the Magnificat".

[18] The first aria, "Schäme dich, o Seele nicht, deinen Heiland zu bekennen" (Do not be ashamed, o soul, to acknowledge your Savior),[1] is scored as a trio for the oboe d'amore, alto and continuo, in an overall very expressive air that has characteristics of an intimate meditation.

[21] The second aria, "Bereite dir, Jesu, noch itzo die Bahn" (Prepare, Jesus, even now the path for Yourself,),[1] was the third in the Advent cantata.

[21] The chorale ending Part I, titled Wohl mir, daß ich Jesum habe (It is well for me that I have Jesus), is the sixth stanza from the hymn, setting a melody by Johann Schop, "Werde munter, mein Gemüte", which Bach also used in his St Matthew Passion for the words "Bin ich gleich von dir gewichen".

Gardiner calls this music of "mellifluous beauty and apparent naturalness", and points out that it is nonetheless derived from the hymn tune.

The active continuo supports the vocal line, which expresses the textual call for help with striking confidence, in a simple and conjunct melody.

[1] It is accompanied by two oboes da caccia which add a continuous expressive motive, interrupted only when the child's leaping in the womb (in German: Hüpfen) is mentioned which they illustrate.

The bass is accompanied by the full orchestra: "Ich will von Jesu Wundern singen und ihm der Lippen Opfer bringen" (I will sing of Jesus' wonders and bring my lip's offering to Him),[1][27] expressing the wonders of faith with trumpet, oboes and strings giving a jubilatory tone which appears as a response to the initial chorus, with the bass adding virtuoso embellishments on "Opfer" and "Feuer", answering the continuo.