Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit (Were God not with us this time), BWV 14, is a sacred cantata composed by Johann Sebastian Bach.

It was composed in Leipzig in 1735 for the fourth Sunday after Epiphany, which fell that year on 30 January, date of the work's premiere.

The prescribed readings for the day are Romans 13: 8-10 and Matthew 8: 23-27.

The texts draw on the homonymous hymn by Martin Luther, published in Walter’s Gesangbuch of 1525, which is, itself, a paraphrase of Psalm 124. Movements 1 and 5 are, respectively, the first and last stanza of Luther's hymn, while the authorship of the poetry for verses 2-4 is unknown.

The homonymous chorale theme is of unknown origin, but it was used by Luther to set his hymn to music in 1525 and has appeared in hymnals ever since.

Scoring and structure
The piece is scored for corno da caccia, oboes I/II, violins I/II, viola, and basso continuo, along with three vocal soloists (soprano, tenor, bass) and four-part choir. It is in five movements:

1. (Coro): "Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit" for choral and instrumental tutti.
2. Aria: "Unsre Stärke heißt zu schwach" for soprano, corno da caccia, strings, and continuo.
3. Recitativo: "Ja, hätt es Gott nur zugegeben" for tenor and continuo.
4. Aria: "Gott, bei deinem starken Schützen" for bass, oboes, and continuo.
5. Chorale: "Gott Lob und Dank, der nicht zugab" for choral and instrumental tutti colle parti.

Text

Recordings

• Bach Cantatas Vol. 19: Greenwich/Romsey - Sopr.: Joanne Lunn; Ten.: Paul Agnew; Bass: Peter Harvey; Monteverdi Choir/English Baroque Soloists; John Eliot Gardiner, conductor. Label: Soli Deo Gloria
• Bach Edition Vol. 18 - Cantatas Vol. 9 - Sopr.: Ruth Holton; Alt.: Sytse Buwalda; Ten.: Knut Schoch; Bass: Bas Ramselaar; Holland Boys Choir/Netherlands Bach Collegium; Pieter Jan Leusink, conductor. Label: Brilliant Classics
• Bach Made in Germany Vol. 4 - Cantatas III - Sopr.: Monika Frimmer; Ten.: Eberhard Büchner; Bass: Andreas Scheibner; Thomanerchor Leipzig/Neues Bachisches Collegium Musicum; Hans-Joachim Rotzsch, conductor. Label: Eterna/Leipzig Classics/Capriccio
• Die Bach Kantate Vol. 8 - Sopr.: Krisztina Láki; Ten.: Aldo Baldin; Bass: Philippe Huttenlocher; Gächinger Kantorei/Württembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn; Helmuth Rilling, conductor. Label: Hänssler
• J.S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 20 - Sopr.: Johannette Zomer; Ten.: James Gilchrist; Bass: Klaus Mertens; Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir (Choir Master: Ulrike Grosch); Ton Koopman, conductor. Label: Antoine Marchand
• J.S. Bach: Das Kantatenwerk - Sacred Cantatas Vol. 1 - Boy Sopr.: Peter Hinterreiter; Ten.: Marius van Altena; Bass: Max van Egmond; Tölzer Knabenchor (Chorus Master: Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden) & King's College Choir (Chorus Master: David Willcocks)/Leonhardt-Consort; Gustav Leonhardt, conductor. Label: Teldec

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