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

From ChoralWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.

Music files

L E G E N D Disclaimer How to download
ICON SOURCE
Icon_pdf.gif Pdf
Icon_snd.gif Midi
MusicXML.png MusicXML
Sibelius.png Sibelius
File details.gif File details
Question.gif Help
  • (Posted 2004-12-11)  CPDL #08720:        (Sibelius 4)
Editor: David Fraser (submitted 2004-12-11).   Score information: A4, 4 pages, 105 kB   Copyright: CPDL
Edition notes: Revised Sept 08.

General Information

Title: O Lord, how long wilt thou forget
Composer: William Byrd
Number of voices: 5vv   Voicing: SATTB
Genre: SacredSacred song

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1588 in Psalmes, Sonnets and Songs, no. 5
Description: 

External websites:

Original text and translations

English.png 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)