This edition was prepared by Barry Johnston — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Bellingham
Staff Notation • Sacred
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2 editions of this piece
Different typesettings and voicings of the same work. This page shows the main edition; the others are below.
SATB · Barry Johnston
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Bellingham by William Billings — Lyrics
Begin, my tongue, some heavenly theme,
And speak some boundless thing;
The mighty works, or mightier name
Of our eternal king.
Tell of his wondrous faithfulness,
And sound his pow'r abroad;
Sing the sweet promise of his grace,
And the performing God.
Proclaim salvation from the Lord
For wretched dying men:
His hand has writ the sacred word
With an immortal pen.
Engrav'd as in eternal brass
The mighty promise shines,
Nor can the pow'rs of darkness rase
Those everlasting lines.
He that can dash whole worlds to death.
And make them when he please,
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About Bellingham
William Billings, a prominent figure of early American sacred music, composed this SATB anthem. Sung in English, the text is a powerful expression of faith, praising the "eternal king" and his "wondrous faithfulness." The lyrics speak of God's "mighty works" and his "pow'r abroad," celebrating salvation and the "sweet promise of his grace." The music aims to reflect the grandeur of these themes, with the choir proclaiming "salvation from the Lord" for humanity. The text emphasizes the enduring strength of God's word, comparing its permanence to "eternal brass" that "the pow'rs of darkness" cannot erase, conveying a message of unwavering divine might and commitment.
