This edition was prepared by James Gibb — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Aufer immensam, SWV 336
Staff Notation • Sacred, Motets
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Aufer immensam, SWV 336 by Heinrich Schütz — Lyrics
Aufer immensam, aufer, Deus, aufer iram,
et cruentatum cohibe flagellum,
nec scelus nostrum properes
ad aequam pendere lancem.
Si luant justam mala
nostra poenam,
quis potest saevas tolerare plagas,
cum nec ultricem spatiosa ferret
machina virgam.
Parce sed nostris miserando culpis,
jus pari clemens pietate miscens,
cui manet semper proprium maligno parcere mundo.
Cur super vermes luteos furores sumis,
o magni fabricator orbis
quid sumus quam fex putris
umbra pulvis glebaque terrae?
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About Aufer immensam, SWV 336
In this powerful motet for SATTB voices, Heinrich Schütz wrestles with the plea for divine mercy. The text implores God to remove His immense wrath and the bloody scourge of punishment, begging Him not to hasten to weigh their sins against His justice. Faced with the prospect of deserved suffering, the choir laments human frailty and asks for clemency. The composer captures the emotional weight of this supplication, painting a vivid sonic landscape of contrition and desperate hope. Schütz’s setting of this Latin text is a profound exploration of humanity’s smallness before the divine, and a plea for compassion amidst perceived divine anger. The music reflects the solemnity and earnestness of the prayer.
