Retirement (Oliver Holden)

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• (Posted 2015-02-06)  CPDL #34492:       

Editor: Barry Johnston (submitted 2015-02-06).   Score information: Letter, 1 page, 33 kB   Copyright: Public Domain

Edition notes: Oval note edition.

• (Posted 2015-02-06)  CPDL #34493:     

Editor: Barry Johnston (submitted 2015-02-06).   Score information: 7 x 10 in (landscape), 1 page, 47 kB   Copyright: Public Domain

Edition notes: Note shapes added (4-shape).

General Information

Title: Retirement
First Line: Far from the world, O Lord, I flee
Composer: Oliver Holden
Lyricist: William Cowper

Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB
Genre: Sacred   Meter: 86. 86 (C.M.)

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1803 in The Charlestown Collection, 1803, p. 27
Description: Words by William Cowper, 1779, his Hymn 45 of Book 3.

Original text and translations

English text

Far from the world, O Lord, I flee,
From strife and tumult far;
From scenes where Satan wages still
His most successful war.

The calm retreat, the silent shade,
With prayer and praise agree;
And seem by Thy sweet bounty made
For those who follow Thee.

There, if Thy Spirit touch the soul,
And grace her mean abode,
O with what peace, and joy, and love,
She communes with her God!

There, like the nightingale, she pours
Her solitary lays;
Nor asks a witness of her song,
Nor thirsts for human praise.

Author and Guardian of my life,
Sweet Source of light divine,
And, all harmonious names in one,
My Savior, Thou art mine!

What thanks I owe Thee, and what love,
A boundless, endless store,
Shall echo through the realms above
When time shall be no more!