Composed for the Eight Sunday after Trinity, which fell on July 30, 1724, Bach's Cantata No. 178 "Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält" (If God the Lord is on our side) (BWV 178) sets a chorale by the early Lutheran poet Justus Jonas based on Psalm 124 in all but its third and sixth movements. The maudlin texts for those movements are by an unknown author. The cantata is scored for alto, bass, and tenor soloists and chorus, horn, pairs of oboes and oboe d'amore, strings, and basso continuo. The first movement of "Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält" is a huge fantasia for full orchestra with the chorus intoning Jonas' chorale. The second movement sets the second verse of Jonas' chorale as a recitative marked Presto for alto soloist and continuo with interpolated secco recitatives. The third is a lively aria in the form of a trio sonata for bass soloist, violins in unison, and continuo. The fourth is marked Chorale and sets another of Jonas' verses for the tenor soloists with the oboe d'amore playing a part derived from the chorale tune above the continuo. The fifth movement, marked Choral et Recitative a tempo giusto, sets a verse from Jonas' chorale for chorale altos, tenors, and basses. The sixth movement is an expansive aria for tenor soloist accompanied by strings and continuo. "Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält" concludes with a muscular harmonization of the final verse of Jonas' chorale for chorus and full orchestra colla parte.

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