Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan
BWV 99 performed by the Netherlands Bach Society
conducted by Jos van Veldhoven
Grote Kerk, Naarden
Behind the music
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Story
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Texts
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Credits
Credits
Struggle with suffering
The contrast between faith and doubt inspired Bach to create musical contrasts
This cantata originated in Bach’s second year in Leipzig. He was working at the time on a complete series of ‘chorale cantatas’, taking inspiration each week from a well-known hymn. He usually used the words of the first and last verses literally, and arranged the in-between verses to suit the sermon of the day – in this case, the Sermon on the Mount.
On a first hearing, the festive opening resembles a concerto with various solo instruments. It is only when the sopranos enter with a melody on long notes that we recognise it as church music. The mood is ecstatic, and the soprano melody towers above the introduction like a sort of motto: 'Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan’ (What God does is well done).
Although the high spirits continue in the closing chorale, the in-between movements are filled with hesitancy and fear, giving plenty of opportunity to create colourful musical contrasts between faith and doubt. The first recitative for bass reaffirms faith in God. But the tenor aria places quite an emphasis on the many bitter moments endured by the dying man through the unfathomable ways of God – both in the words and in the incredibly difficult passage for flute. In the second recitative, the alto announces the intention of enduring the suffering nonetheless. Then the alto and soprano reflect once again in their duet on the miserable fate that awaits those who cannot bear their cross patiently. The dispute is finally settled by an uncompromisingly positive closing chorale, which eventually tips the scale to the optimistic side.
When Bach used this chorale again less than ten years later, for cantata BWV 100, the references to suffering on this side and the other side disappeared completely. Here, he uses the chorale text literally, with no poeticising or additions. It is something that characterises much of his later work: the struggle with suffering has made way for a rock-solid faith in the consoling Father.
With support from
Eunice and Vincent Panetta
Extra videos
Vocal texts
Original
1. Chor
Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan,
es bleibt gerecht sein Wille;
wie er fängt meine Sachen an,
will ich ihm halten stille.
Er ist mein Gott,
der in der Not
mich wohl weiss zu erhalten;
drum lass ich ihn nur walten.
2. Rezitativ (Bass)
Sein Wort der Wahrheit stehet fest
und wird mich nicht betrügen,
weil es die Gläubigen
nicht fallen noch verderben lässt.
Ja, weil es mich den Weg zum Leben führet,
so fasst mein Herze sich und lässet sich begnügen
an Gottes Vatertreu und Huld
und hat Geduld,
wenn mich ein Unfall rühret.
Gott kann mit seinen Allmachtshänden
mein Unglück wenden.
3. Arie (Tenor)
Erschüttre dich nur nicht, verzagte Seele,
wenn dir der Kreuzeskelch
so bitter schmeckt!
Gott ist dein weiser Arzt
und Wundermann,
so dir kein tödlich
Gift einschenken kann,
obgleich die Süßigkeit verborgen steckt.
4. Rezitativ (Alt)
Nun, der von Ewigkeit
geschloss’ne Bund
bleibt meines Glaubens Grund.
Er spricht mit Zuversicht
im Tod und Leben:
Gott ist mein Licht,
ihm will ich mich ergeben.
Und haben alle Tage
gleich ihre eigne Plage,
doch auf das überstandne Leid,
wenn man genug geweinet,
kommt endlich die Errettungszeit,
da Gottes treuer Sinn erscheinet.
5. Duett (Sopran, Alt)
Wenn des Kreuzes Bitterkeiten
mit des Fleisches Schwachheit streiten,
ist es dennoch wohlgetan.
Wer das Kreuz durch falschen Wahn
sich vor unerträglich schätzet,
wird auch künftig nicht ergötzet.
6. Choral
Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan,
dabei will ich verbleiben.
Es mag mich auf die rauhe Bahn
Not, Tod und Elend treiben,
so wird Gott mich
ganz väterlich
in seinen Armen halten;
drum lass ich ihn nur walten.
Translation
1. Chorus
What God does is done well;
His will remains righteous.
However he dispatches my affairs
I will keep still before him.
He is my God,
Who in [times of] distress
Knows well how to preserve me;
That is why I just let him rule.
2. Recitative (Bass)
His word of truth stands fast
And will not deceive me,
Because it lets believers neither fall nor perish.
Yes, because it [God’s word] leads me on the path to [eternal] life,
My heart composes itself and contents itself
With God’s paternal faithfulness and favor,
And has patience
When any mishap strikes me.
God can, with his Almighty hands,
Turn my misfortune around.
3. Aria (Tenor)
Only do not shake yourself up, despondent soul,
When the “cup” of [bearing] the cross
tastes so bitter to you.
God is your wise physician
and man of miracles,
Who could never pour you
any deadly [medicinal] poison,
Though the [expected disguising] sweetness is hidden.
4. Recitative (Alto)
Now the covenant [with God],
entered into from eternity,
Remains the foundation of my faith.
It declares with confidence,
In death and life:
God is my light,
I will give myself over to him.
And if all days alike
Have their own vexation,
Yet, upon endured suffering,
When one has wept enough,
The time of deliverance finally comes,
When God’s faithful disposition is manifested.
5. Duet (Soprano, Alto)
When the bitternesses of [bearing] the cross
Clash with the weakness of the flesh,
It [God’s will] is nonetheless well done.
Whoever through false presumption
Reckons the cross as unbearable,
Will not be delighted in future either.
6. Chorale
What God does is done well —
I will abide by this;
If distress, death, and sorrow may
Drive me on the rough course [of life],
Then God will,
Most paternally,
Hold me in his arms;
That is why I just let him rule.
transl. © Daniel R. Melamed and Michael Marissen
For the annotated version of the text and translation, see here.
Sourced: August 2026
Credits
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- Release date
- 4 September 2015
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- Recording date
- 7 February 2015
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- Location
- Grote Kerk, Naarden
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- Conductor
- Jos van Veldhoven
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- Soprano
- Gerlinde Sämann
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- Alto
- Damien Guillon
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- Tenor
- Charles Daniels
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- Bass
- Peter Kooij
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- Ripieno soprano
- Marjon Strijk, Hilde Van Ruymbeke
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- Ripieno alto
- Elsbeth Gerritsen, Barnabás Hegyi
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- Ripieno tenor
- Kevin Skelton, Endrik Üksvärav
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- Ripieno bass
- Michiel Meijer, Drew Santini
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- Violin 1
- Sayuri Yamagata, Pieter Affourtit, Hanneke Wierenga
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- Violin 2
- Anneke van Haaften, Paulien Kostense, Lidewij van der Voort
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- Viola
- Staas Swierstra, Jan Willem Vis
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- Cello
- Lucia Swarts, Richte van der Meer
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- Double bass
- Maggie Urquhart
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- Traverso
- Marten Root
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- Oboe
- Martin Stadler
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- Bassoon
- Yukiko Murakami
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- Horn
- Erwin Wieringa
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- Harpsichord
- Siebe Henstra
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- Positive organ
- Leo van Doeselaar
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- Film director and editor
- Lucas van Woerkum
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- Music recording producers
- Guido Tichelman, Bastiaan Kuijt, Micha de Kanter
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- Music editor
- Guido Tichelman
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- Camera
- Jorrit Garretsen, Ruben van den Broeke, Diderik Evers, Maarten van Rossem
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- Gaffer
- Zen Bloot, Harm Bredero, Marcel Brugman
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- Score reader
- Stijn Berkouwer
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- Data handler
- Wesley Westerhuis
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- Interviews
- Onno van Ameijde
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- Producer concert
- Marco Meijdam, Erik van Lith
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- Producer film
- JeanMarc van Sambeek, Jessie Verbrugh
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- Acknowledgements
- Angela Mast, Marlo Reeders
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- With support from
- Eunice and Vincent Panetta, in loving memory of Barbara Wolff
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