Why brag in malice high (Thomas Tallis)

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  • (Posted 2015-10-21)  CPDL #37263:  Icon_pdf.gif Icon_snd.gif MusicXML
Editor: Barry Johnston (submitted 2015-10-21).   Score information: Letter, 1 page, 83 kB   Copyright: Public Domain
Edition notes: Notes from 1567, put into two staffs with Soprano the lead: Soprano = old Tenor (up an octave), Alto = Counter, Tenor = Meane, and Bass = Bass. No words. Two versions on sheet: in original key (G major), and moved down a step (F major) for easier singing.
  • (Posted 2015-10-21)  CPDL #37262:  Icon_pdf.gif Icon_snd.gif MusicXML
Editor: Barry Johnston (submitted 2015-10-21).   Score information: Letter, 1 page, 62 kB   Copyright: Public Domain
Edition notes: Oval note edition, as written in 1567. Three more pairs of stanzas from Parker's paraphrase added.
  • (Posted 2015-10-21)  CPDL #37261:  Icon_pdf.gif
Editor: Barry Johnston (submitted 2015-10-21).   Score information: 7 x 10 in (landscape), 1 page, 63 kB   Copyright: Public Domain
Edition notes: Note shapes added (4-shape). Three more pairs of stanzas from Parker's paraphrase added.
Editor: Tim Blickhan (submitted 2005-10-10).   Score information: Octavo, 1 page, 105 kB   Copyright: Public Domain
Edition notes:

General Information

Title: Why brag in malice high
Composer: Thomas Tallis
Lyricist: Matthew Parker

Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB

Genre: SacredHymn   Meter: 66. 66

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

Published: 1567

Description: Published in The Whole Psalter Translated (1567). Words by Matthew Parker, 1567, in thirteen stanzas. Tallis used the first two stanzas in his composition.

External websites:

Original text and translations

Original text and translations may be found at Psalm 52.

English.png English text

1. Why brag in malice high,
O thou in mischief stout?
God's goodness yet is nigh,
All day to me no doubt.

2. Thy tongue to muse evil,
It does itself inure:
As razor sharp to spill,
All guile it doth procure.

3. Thou malice loves to wire,
Above all goodness walk:
And more thou loves to lie,
Then righteousness to talk.

 

4. Yea, loved thou hast no less
To speak one word for all:
All words of naughtiness,
Thou tongue in fraud most thrall.

5. But God once thee shall walk,
Shall stroy and scrape by hand
Thy tent from thee at last
To root thee out of land.

6. And righteous men shall see,
And fear thereby shall take,
But yet at him full free,
And laughter shall they make.

 

7. But I as olive green
In God's sweet house shall lay:
My trust hast ever been
In God's good grace for aye.

8. I Thee shall laud e'en still,
For this Thou did, say I:
Thy name to wait I will,
For good Thy saints it spy.