Johann Sebastian Bach composed the church cantata Siehe, ich will viel Fischer aussenden (Behold, I will send out many fishers),[1] BWV 88 in Leipzig for the fifth Sunday after Trinity within the liturgical year and first performed it on 21 July 1726.

Based on the prescribed gospel reading of the great catch of fish, an unknown librettist based his poetry on quotations from the Old Testament in the opening movement and the New Testament as the central movement, and closed it by the final stanza of Georg Neumark's hymn "Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten".

It is scored for an intimate ensemble of four vocal soloists, a choir only in the chorale, two horns, two oboes d'amore, taille, strings and continuo.

The central movement is composed as a biblical scene, with the Evangelist introducing Jesus sending Peter, a fisherman, to "fish" men.

The cantata is closed by the final stanza of Georg Neumark's hymn "Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten"[3] (1641).

It is scored for four vocal soloists (soprano (S), alto (A), tenor (T) and bass (B)), a four-part choir SATB only in the chorale, two horns (Co), two oboes d'amore (Oa), taille (Ot), two violins (Vl), viola (Va), and basso continuo (Bc).

The opening movement, "Siehe, ich will viel Fischer aussenden" (Behold, I will send out many fishers),[1] is given to the bass solo, possibly because Jeremiah has God speak in the first person.

[1][2] The recitative "Wie leichtlich könnte doch der Höchste uns entbehren" (How easily could the Highest do without us),[1] ends on a question, "Does He ... abandon us to the deceit and trickery of the enemy?

[1] The direct speech of Jesus, calling Peter as his disciple, is sung by the bass as the vox Christi (voice of Christ): "Fürchte dich nicht; den von nun an wirst du Menschen fahen" (Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men).

A recitative of the soprano, "Was kann dich denn in deinem Wandel schrecken" (What then can frighten you in your journey)[1] expresses the consequence.