This is a Martin Luther original, but it's kind of...weird. Technically, the text is a loose adaptation of the "Nunc dimittis" (Simeon's song); Simeon's was "now I can 'go' in peace because I've seen Jesus." The Latin version, or its multilingual adaptations is sometimes sung at the end of a service where 'go' just means "leave for the week." This one definitely means "go" as in "die." But it's in the category of "End Time" because...well, I guess after the end of time the dead people are resurrected, although from their perspective maybe it's instantaneous? Not sure on that one.

The key is...mode II? Ends on D in a nominally C (but could pass for D minor, there's a B-flat at one point). No time signatures or measures, just various phrases. Usually when Luther's songs are like this they're adaptations of like a German dance tune/beer hall song, but this appears to be original and just meterless.

How's the alto part?

Fairly easy actually. Some of it is just all unison, and then a lot of the separate part is holding the main "dominant" note F.

Is this how it was originally sung?

It's originally a spiritual so I suspect the four-part harmony just came along later.

Is this what you would then call "boring"?

In other circumstances I might, but I have a soft spot for this one because it was one of the first hymns I remember the youth (high school) choir actually singing parts on, so I appreciated something that was not too hard.

What are the nations underground?

Hell? Earth as opposed to heaven? Some political thriller type stuff? IDK.

What is this music famous for?

Being the "King of Chorales."

Is there a Queen?

Yes, also by Philipp Nicolai, this composer, we'll get to it.

What about the text?

So, the first words of the first three verses are "Wake," "Zion," and "Gloria." This is obviously a translation from German, but "Wake" is the cognate "Wachet," and the other two are Biblical proper names, so the initials are still W, Z, G respectively. This is relevant because it's a backwards acrostic of GwZ, the initials of a student of Nicolai's who died young. This passes for "neat" in the "it's the 1500s and everyone is dying of the plague" kind of way.

When do we sing it?

There's significant overlap between the Bible readings/music for Advent (awaiting the coming of Christ at Christmas) and End Time (awaiting the coming of Christ...later), so this will sometimes pop up in that section as well.

Who is the lyricist?

Isaac Watts, who we will run into many more times. 16-1700s British guy.

So the rhymes are untranslated?

Yeah but they're 300 years old, so also there's that.

Cool turns of phrase?

I like "peculiar honors" for "individual/unique forms of praise;" not so big on "his name like sweet perfume shall rise." I guess a lot of scents gross me out and I'd rather not compare Jesus' name to them.

How about coffee? Some people are smelling coffee "with every morning sacrifice [presumably of prayer, not the murdery kind]."

Yeah, that smell I like.