Jesu, meine Freude
| "Jesu, meine Freude" | |
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| Hymn by Johann Crüger | |
The hymn in Johann Crüger's Praxis pietatis melica, 1653
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| English | Jesus, Priceless Treasure |
| Text | by Johann Franck |
| Language | German |
| Published | 1653 |
"Jesu, meine Freude" (Jesus, my joy) is a hymn in German, written by Johann Franck in 1650, with a melody by Johann Crüger. The song first appeared in Crüger's hymnal Praxis pietatis melica in 1653. The text addresses Jesus as joy and support, versus enemies and the vanity of existence. The poetry is bar form, with irregular lines from 5 to 8 syllables. The melody repeats the first line in the last, framing each of the six stanzas.
There have been choral and organ settings of the hymn by many composers, most notably by Johann Sebastian Bach in his funeral motet, BWV 227, for unaccompanied chorus and in his chorale prelude, BWV 610, for organ. In the current German Protestant hymnal, Evangelisches Gesangbuch, it is No. 293.
Several English translations have been made of the hymn, including Catherine Winkworth's "Jesu, priceless treasure" of 1869, and it has appeared in around 40 hymnals.
The text is presented in six stanzas of nine lines each. It is in bar form, three lines form the Stollen, three the Abgesang, with the meter 6.6.5.6.6.5.7.8.6. The last line of the last stanza repeats the first line of the first stanza. The song is written in the first person, addressing Jesus.
The first stanza sets the theme of love to Jesus and the desire to be united with him, who is named Lamb, as in , and Bridegroom, based on . It is a parody of the love song "Flora, meine Freude", published in 1645 by Heinrich Albert, organist at the Königsberg Cathedral.
The second stanza describes the protection of Jesus against threats by Satan, enemies, thunder, hell and sin, all pictured in drastic images. The third stanza repeats three times Trotz (defiance), facing the enemies "old dragon" (alter Drachen), death (Tod), and fear (Furcht). The believer, feeling safe even in adverse conditions as expressed in , stands singing (Ich steh hier und singe.).
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