Motet notes - Schütz

The lesson for today in Luke 13, Jesus’ lament for Jerusalem, recalls a number of texts from Hebrew Scripture.  It is not so easy for musicians to find material with such a vehement tone as this reading, but Schütz’ brief setting of two verses from Psalm 14 comes close. The first part of the piece depicts God grandly surveying the inhabitants of the world, the second erupts with his angry disappointment with what he finds.