Bruckner composed the motet during his stay in Sankt Florian for the absoute of the funeral of prelate Michael Arneth.

The motet was first published in an appendix of band 7-10 of Musica divina, Vienna, 1922.

It is in five parts, separated by cadences on the responses Quando cœli and Dum veneris Part 3 contains dissonances similar to those found in the Agnus Dei of the later Mass in E minor.

[3] Apart from its significance as a precursor to Bruckner's mature style, the F minor Libera me is effective on its own terms.

The music is heartfelt and profound, and is a gracious, if rather austere, rendering of the text.