This edition was prepared by Michael Gibson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Behold, Thou hast made my days
Staff Notation • Sacred, Anthems, Verse anthems
Preview
0
0
Subscribed as
Want Sunday picks sent to another address too?
Free weekly email
Your choir should not be left out in what's trending
Sunday mass selections, psalms, and trending songs in your area — straight to your inbox.
Behold, Thou hast made my days by Orlando Gibbons — Lyrics
In finem, ipsi Idithun. Canticum David.
Dixi: Custodiam vias meas:
ut non delinquam in lingua mea.
Posui ori meo custodiam,
cum consisteret peccator adversum me.
Obmutui, et humiliatus sum, et silui a bonis;
et dolor meus renovatus est.
Concaluit cor meum intra me;
et in meditatione mea exardescet ignis.
Locutus sum in lingua mea:
Notum fac mihi, Domine, finem meum,
et numerum dierum meorum quis est, ut sciam quid desit mihi.
Ecce mensurabiles posuisti dies meos,
et substantia mea tamquam nihilum ante te.
Verumtamen universa vanitas, omnis homo vivens.
Verumtamen in imagine pertransit homo;
sed et frustra conturbatur:
thesaurizat et ignorat cui congregabit ea.
Read full lyrics
About Behold, Thou hast made my days
This powerful anthem for SAATB voices is drawn from Psalm 39, a text that contemplates the brevity of human life and the search for meaning. Orlando Gibbons sets verses from the Latin Vulgate, with the choir wrestling with profound questions about existence and mortality. The music likely explores the contrast between introspection and lament, offering a reflective moment for a choir. The composition's structure, incorporating verse sections, suggests an intimate and expressive performance, suitable for contemplative occasions within a sacred service or concert setting. It is a significant work from the English Renaissance composer, known for his masterful command of vocal polyphony and expressive harmony.
