Composed for the Feast of John the Baptist, which fell on June 24, 1723, Bach's Cantata No. 167 "Ihr Menschen, rühmet Gottes Liebe" (You people, praise God's Love) (BWV 167) sets a text by an anonymous writer. The cantata is scored for tenor, alto, soprano, and bass soloists and chorus, oboe, oboe da caccia, strings, and basso continuo, plus horn in the closing chorale. "Ihr Menschen, rühmet Gottes Liebe" is a brief cantata in five movements. The first movement is a gently swaying aria in 12/8 time for tenor soloist, strings, and continuo. The second is a secco recitative that turns into a lovely Adagio arioso for alto soloist and continuo. The third starts and ends as a sadly sweet duet aria in duple time for soprano and alto soloist with oboe da caccia and continuo, but with a faster triple-time canon for the soloists in its center. The fourth movement is a declaimed secco recitative for forceful bass soloist and continuo. "Ihr Menschen, rühmet Gottes Liebe" concludes with a chorale harmonization for chorus doubled by winds and continuo with fully independent preludes, interludes, and postludes for strings.

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