Edition notes: Oval note edition. All four stanzas of Whittingham's paraphrase included, but the words of stanzas 2-4 adjusted to fit the meter of the music. MusicXML source file(s) in compressed .mxl format.
Edition notes: Note shapes added (4-shape). All four stanzas of Whittingham's paraphrase included, but the words of stanzas 2-4 adjusted to fit the meter of the music.
Description: Tune first published in Genevan Psalter, 1542. Harmonized by John Dowland, 1592. Words by William Whittingham, 1556, paraphrase of Psalm 130, in four stanzas. The tune and the first stanza of the words have meter 76. 76. D; but following stanzas of the words vary, having eight syllables in the first line of a couplet.
Dowland used a different tune and wrote a different harmonization of this text in 1597.
External websites:
Original text and translations
Original text and translations may be found at Psalm 130.
English text
William Whittingham, 1556
Lord, to thee I make my moan,
When dangers me oppress;
I call, I sigh, plain, and groan,
Trusting to find release.
Hear now, O Lord, my request,
For it is full due time,
And let thine ears aye be pressed
Unto this pra-yer mine.
O Lord our God, if thou survey
Our sins, and them peruse,
Who shall escape? or who dare say,
I can myself excuse?
But thou art merciful and free,
And boundless in thy grace,
That we might always careful be
To fear before thy face.
In God the Lord I put my trust,
My soul waits on his will;
His promise is for ever just,
And I hope therein still.
My soul to God hath great regard,
Wishing for him alway:
Much more than they that watch and ward
To see the dawning day.
O Israel, trust in the Lord,
With him there mercy is,
And he doth plenteously afford
Redemption unto his.
E'en he it is that Israel shall,
Through his abundant grace,
Redeem from his offenses all,
And wholly them deface.
Adjustments for these editions
Lord, to thee I make my moan,
When dangers me oppress;
I call, I sigh, plain, and groan,
Trusting to find release.
Hear now, O Lord, my request,
For it is full due time,
And let thine ears aye be pressed
Unto this pra-yer mine.
O Lord our God, if thou survey
Our sins, and them peruse,
Who shall escape? or who say,
I can myself excuse? Thou art merciful and free,
And boundless in thy grace, We might always careful be
To fear before thy face.
In God the Lord I put trust,
My soul waits on his will;
His promise for ever just,
And I hope therein still.
My soul to God hath regard,
Wishing for him alway: More than they that watch and ward
To see the dawning day.
O Is-r'el, trust in the Lord,
With him there mercy is,
And he doth greatly afford
Redemption unto his. He it is that Israel shall,
Through his abundant grace,
Redeem from offenses all,
And wholly them deface.