My soul oppressed with care (William Byrd)

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• (Posted 2003-11-09)  CPDL #05996:        (Sibelius 4)

Editor: David Fraser (submitted 2003-11-09).   Score information: A4, 4 pages, 108 kB    Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Revised August 2021 (minor formatting).

General Information

Title: My soul oppressed with care
Composer: William Byrd

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

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1588 in Psalmes, Sonnets and Songs, no. 3
Description: 

Original text and translations

English text

My soule opprest with care and griefe,
doth cleave unto the dust:
O quicken mee after thy woord,
for therein doe I trust.

My waies unto thee have I shew’d,
thou answerest mee againe:
Teach mee thy law and so I shall,
bee eased of my paine.

The way of thy commandments Lord,
make mee to understand:
And I will muse uppon the power
And wonders of thy hand.

My heart doth melt and pine away,
for verie paine and griefe:
O, raise mee up, after thy word
And send mee some reliefe.

All falsehood, and false waies O Lord,
doe thou from mee remove:
And graunt mee grace to know thy law
And onely that to love.

The way of truth I choose to tread,
to keepe my life in awe:
And see before me as a marke,
Thy sacred woord and law.'n

I cleave, O Lord, unto all things,
witnessed by thy speech:
Whereof that I repent mee not
I humbly thee beseech.

When that my heart thou shalt enlarge,
to seeke and run the waies:
Of thy precepts, I will not faile,
the length of all my daies.

Metrical version of Psalm 119: 25-32