“危难时代”这个名字出自海顿本人，一般认为这是因为1798年作曲家写作这部弥撒时，拿破仑战争的阴影正笼罩着奥地利。后来，可能就在这部作品首演的当年9月15日，海顿和观众们都听到一个好消息：英国海军中将霍雷肖·纳尔逊（Horatio Nelson）已于当年8月率英国海军在尼罗河之战中击败了法国海军。于是这部弥撒又被人称作“纳尔逊勋爵弥撒”（Lord Nelson Mass），简称“纳尔逊弥撒”。
关于作品的原名 “危难时代”，还有一种看法认为，这也可能是由于当时海顿的疾病和疲惫，加上他可用的乐器受到了限制。因为当时的艾斯特哈奇亲王－尼古拉斯二世对音乐的兴趣不像其前任尼古拉斯一世那样大，就在海顿开始写这部弥撒之前，尼古拉斯二世为了节约开支，砍掉了其宫廷乐队中的八件管乐器（wind band octet），即双簧管，单簧管，大管，圆号各两支。这对已经写过一百多部交响曲的海顿来说，无疑也是一种“危难时代”。结果这部作品的乐队只有弦乐，小号，定音鼓和风琴。尽管如此，《危难时代弥撒》仍然成为深受欢迎的名作。后世有的演出增加了被认为缺失管乐器，但当代的演出仍多保留海顿原来的配器。
Kyrie - Chor and S Solo Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison.
Kyrie - Chorus and S Solo Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Gloria - Chor, SATB solo Gloria in excelsis Deo, Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. Laudamus te, benedicimus te, Adoramus te, glorificamus te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam. Domine Deus, Rex coelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe. Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris.
Qui tollis peccata mundi, Miserere nobis. Qui tollis peccata mundi, Suscipe deprecationem nostram. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis.
Quoniam tu solus sanctus, tu solus Dominus, Tu solus altissimus, Jesu Christe. Cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris, Amen.
Gloria - Chorus, SATB solo Glory to God in the highest, And peace on earth to men of good will. We praise You, we bless You, We worship You, we glorify You. We give You thanks for Your great glory. Lord God, King of Heaven, God the Father Almighty. Lord only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father.
You who take away the sin of the world, Have mercy on us. You who take away the sin of the world, Hear our prayer. You who sit at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.
For You alone are holy, You alone are Lord, You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ. With the Holy Spirit in the glory of God the Father, Amen.
Credo - Chor, SATB solo Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, factorem coeli et terrae, visibilium omnium et invisibilium. Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum, Filium Dei unigenitum, et ex patre natum ante omnia saecula, Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero, genitum non factum, consubstantialem Patri; per quem omnia facta sunt. Qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem descendit de coelis.
Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto, ex Maria virgine; et homo factus est. Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato, passus et sepultus est.
Et resurrexit tertia die secundum Scripturas, et ascendit in coelum, sedet ad dexteram Patris, et iterum venturus est cum gloria, judicare vivos et mortuos, cujus regni non erit finis. Et in Spiritum Sanctum Dominum, et vivificantem, qui ex Patre Filioque procedit, qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur, et conglorificatur, qui locutus est per Prophetas. Et unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam Eccelsiam. Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum, et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum, et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen.
Credo - Chorus, SATB solo I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father; through Him all things were made. For us and for our salvation He came down from heaven.
He became incarnate from the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, and was made man. For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered death and was buried.
He rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father; He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end. And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son; with the Father and the Son He is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church; I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins; I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Sanctus - Chor Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua. Osanna in excelsis.
Benedictus - Chor, SATB solo Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Osanna in excelsis.
Agnus Dei - Chor, SATB Solo Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.
Sanctus - Chorus Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory, Hosannah in the highest.
Benedictus - Chorus, SATB solo Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosannah in the highest.
Agnus Dei - Chorus, SATB Solo Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us peace.
