The text of the original 13th-century leise alludes to the Latin sequence for Pentecost, Veni Sancte Spiritus (translated as "Come, Holy Spirit").

The leise contained an appeal for the right faith which especially suited Luther's theology; he wrote three additional stanzas, first published in Wittenberg in 1547 as part of Johann Walter's choral songbook Eyn geystlich Gesangk Buchleyn.

Alternate versions of the hymn have appeared in Catholic hymnals, countering the Reformation, first in 1537 in a collection published by Michael Vehe.

[3] "Nun bitten wir den Heiligen Geist" is documented in the 13th century, quoted by the Franciscan Berthold von Regensburg in a sermon.

Now do we pray unto the Holy Ghost For the true faith of all things the most, That He may defend us when life is ending, As from exile home we are wending.

[11] As in the conclusion of Veni Sancte Spiritus (da salutis exitum), the focus is the assistance of the Holy Spirit at the time of death.

[12] The person praying is aware that human life is transient and believes that the true home is Heaven, following a line from a letter of Paul the Apostle, Philippians 3:20.

He recommended, for lack of alternatives, three medieval songs to be sung regularly: "Gott sei gelobet und gebenedeiet", "Ein Kindelein so lobelich" and, probably as the gradual, "Nun bitten wir den Heiligen Geist".

[14] In 1524, possibly for Pentecost,[14] Luther expanded the leise "Nun bitten wir den Heiligen Geist" by three stanzas, addressing the Holy Spirit three more times.

[13] Luther's text in modernised German, with a free rhymed translation into English, reads as follows: Nun bitten wir den Heiligen Geist um den rechten Glauben allermeist, daß er uns behüte an unserm Ende, wenn wir heimfahrn aus diesem Elende.

Now do we pray unto the Holy Ghost For the true faith of all things the most, That He may defend us when life is ending, As from exile home we are wending.

[14] His three stanzas can be seen as related to "Glaube, Liebe, Hoffnung", the theological virtues of faith, love and hope, which Paul the Apostle expressed in his letter, 1 Corinthians 13:13.

[11] Luther interpreted faith as belief in Jesus Christ, love to people and living in peace and unity, and hope in assistance of the Holy Spirit in remaining unafraid in the hour of death.

[18][19] Luther's text appeared in print first in 1524, in a collection Teutsch Kirchen ampt (German church office) in Strasbourg,[11] and in Wittenberg, set to music by Johann Walter (Zahn No.

[11] A Leipzig hymnal of 1796, Sammlung christlicher Gesänge (Collection of Christian songs) for use in public worship in the town's city churches, contains a version that is focused not on the right faith but (negatively) on protection against false doctrine and conversion of the erring.

[27] Johann Walter, who collaborated with Luther on the music, modified the medieval chant tune slightly giving it distinct rhythmic shape.

[32] Johann Sebastian Bach used the third stanza to conclude his cantata Gott soll allein mein Herze haben, BWV 169.

[35] Bach also set the same stanza for a wedding cantata in the 1730s, Gott ist unsre Zuversicht, BWV 197, where it concluded Part I, the fifth of ten movements.

[39] In 1936, Johann Nepomuk David wrote a chorale motet for four-part choir a cappella, Nun bitten wir den Heiligen Geist.

[11] In 1537 Michael Vehe, a Dominican friar and theologian, published a hymnal in Leipzig, Ein New Gesangbuechlin Geystlicher Lieder (A new little songbook of sacred songs) with the description vor alle gutthe Christen nach ordenung Christlicher kirchen.

The prayer is firstly for actions pleasing God, secondly for a pure life, not deviating from the right path, and finally to love one's neighbour and remain in peace.

[11] The hymn received wider distribution only in the second half of the 20th century, after the collection Kirchenlied, a 1938 attempt at a common Christian hymnal in German published by Josef Diewald [de], Adolf Lohmann and Georg Thurmair,[47] included it.

[47] The hymn-writer Maria Luise Thurmair was active in the preparation of the first common German Catholic hymnal Gotteslob, published in 1975.

[11][48] The first edition of Gotteslob also contained Vehe's version in regional sections, such as for the Diocese of Limburg as GL 870 with the same transcription of the chant.