Edition notes: Source: Jacob Obrecht: Opera omnia, editio altera, ed. A. Smijers & M. van Crevel, UVNM, 1953-59. Notation here is a minor third higher than original, time values halved. Translation, text underlay and musica ficta by John Hetland and The Renaissance Street Singers.
Laudemus nunc Dominum
in canticis et modulationibus sonoris,
quoniam hodie salus huic domui facta est.
Numquid non David
stare fecit cantores ante altare
et in sono eorum dulces fecit modos,
ut laudarent nomen Domini sanctum
et amplificarent mane Dei sanctitatem?
Psallamus igitur singuli:
sint oculi tui, Domine, super domum hanc
quam aedificavimus tibi
et exaudias deprecationem populi tui
sacrificia et holocausta
super altare tuum offerentis. Alleluia. Cantus firmus [Genesis 28:17]: Non est hic aliud nisi domus Dei et porta caeli.
Cantemus Domino canticum novum,
laus ejus in ecclesia sanctorum. Alleluia.
Numquid non patres nostri Noe, Abraham,
Aaron, David et Jesus Josedech
in diebus suis
aedificaverunt altaria Domino
et nomen Domini invocantes
exaltaverunt templum sanctum Domino
paratum in gloria sempiterna?
Laudemus igitur Dominum,
quoniam hodie salus
huic domui a Deo facta est.
Alleluia. Cantus firmi [Genesis 28:12,17-18]: Vidit Jacob scalam, sumitas ejus caelos tangebat et descendentes angelos et dixit: Vere locus iste sanctus est. Alleluia. Erexit Jacob lapidem in titulum, fundens oleum desuper. Alleluia.
English translation
Let us now praise the Lord
in songs and rhythmic sounds,
for today salvation has come to this house.
Did not David
have singers stand before the high altar
and in their sound make sweet rhythms,
that they might praise the holy name of the Lord
and enlarge in the morning the holiness of God?
So let each of us strike the harp:
may your eyes, O Lord, be upon this house
which we have built for you
and may you hear the prayer of your people
as sacrifices and burnt offerings
upon your altar they offer. Alleluia.
This is none other than the house of God and gate of heaven.
Let us sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the church of saints. Alleluia.
Did not our fathers Noah, Abraham,
Aaron, David and Jesus the son of Joseph
in their day
build altars to the Lord
and, invoking the name of the Lord,
exalt the holy temple to the Lord
prepared in everlasting glory?
Therefore let us praise the Lord,
for today salvation
has been brought to this house from God.
Alleluia.
Jacob saw a ladder, its top touching heaven and angels descending, and he said: "Truly this place is holy." Alleluia. Jacob set the stone up as a pillar, pouring oil on top of it. Alleluia.