O Lord, how long wilt thou forget (William Byrd)

From ChoralWiki

Music files

• CPDL #8720: Sibelius 4.
  

Editor: David Fraser (added 2004-12-11).   Score information: A4, 7 pages, 125 kbytes   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes: Revised 01/07 (completely reset from original printed source)

General Information

Title: O Lord, how long wilt thou forget
Composer: William Byrd

Number of voices: 5vv   Voicing: SATTB
Genre: Sacred, Anthem

Language: English

Instruments: a cappella

Published: Psalmes, Sonnets & Songs (1588), no. 5

Description:

External websites:

Original text and translations

English text

O Lord, how long wilt thou forget,
to send mee some relife,
For ever wilt thou hide thy face,
and so increase my griefe?

How long shall I with vexed heart,
seeke counsell in my spirit?
How long shall my malicious foes,
triumph and mee despite?

O Lord my God, heare my complaint,
uttered with wofull breath:
Lighten mine eyes, defend my lyfe,
that I sleep not in death.

Least that mine enemie say, I have
against him loe prevayl’d:
At my downefall they will rejoyce,
that thus have mee assayl’d.

But in thy mercie Lord I trust,
for that shall mee defend:
My heart doth joye, to see the help,
which thou to mee wilt send.

Unto the Lord therefore I sing,
and do lift up my voyce:
And for his goodnesse shew’d to mee,
I will alway rejoyce.

(Anonymous metrical version of Psalm 13)