This prelude sets the principal Lutheran chorale of the Advent season. The basis of the text and music is the Gregorian Hymnus, "Veni Redemptor Genitum," and was translated into German by Martin Luther in 1524. The first verse of the chorale reads: "Now comes the savior of the heathen known as a child of a virgin, that is why all the world wonders, why God chose such a birth for him."

Buxtehude's setting of the chorale is somewhat brief at only 21 measures, but the ornamentation of the chorale melody in the soprano range is very warm and beautiful, so that this tiny prelude is one of Buxtehude's most played chorale preludes.

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