In this cantata Buxtehude sets Psalm 57:7-11 (verses 8-12 in the Luther Bible). The work is scored for bass, three violins, violone, and continuo. As is typically the case in Buxtehude's Psalm settings, the work is in the concerto style. It consists of numerous short contrasting sections, allowing Buxtehude to adapt the musical setting to depict the mood or images imbedded in each individual phrase or even each individual word of text. For instance Buxtehude repeats the first phrase, "My heart is ready, to sing and to praise." At each repetition the word "sing" is set with a long melisma. Later Buxtehude writes loud doubled triple-stop chords in the strings when the text "awaken" is sung.

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