Messiaen presents his interpretation of biblical ideas through musical images. The composition was written in 1943 soon after Messiaen was repatriated from a German prisom camp. It was first performed in a duet with the student of the composerYvonne Loriod who later became his wife exerted a significant influence upon his creative work. The composition was published in 1950 and supplemented by the author's comments.

There are seven movements in the composition.