This edition was prepared by Barry Johnston — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Bushwick
Staff Notation • Sacred
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3 editions of this piece
Different typesettings and voicings of the same work. This page shows the main edition; the others are below.
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Bushwick by Samuel Holyoke — Lyrics
Now let the Lord my Savior smile,
And show my name upon his heart,
I would forget my pains awhile,
And in the pleasure lose the smart.
But O, it swells my sorrows high
To see my blessed Jesus frown;
My spirits sink, my comforts die,
And all the springs of life are down.
Yet why, my soul, why these complaints?
Still while he frowns his bowels move;
Still on his heart he bears his saints,
And feels their sorrows and his love.
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About Bushwick
This sacred anthem for SATB voices sets a deeply personal English text exploring the singer's relationship with their Savior. The words express a profound yearning for divine approval, contrasting moments of joy at perceived favour with deep despair at perceived disapproval. The singer ultimately finds solace not in worldly recognition but in the assurance of their name being inscribed in a heavenly book, a testament to divine love and remembrance that transcends earthly fame or even destruction. Samuel Holyoke's setting allows the choir to convey these intense emotional shifts, from sorrow to hope, through rich four-part harmony. It is a moving reflection on faith, devotion, and eternal security.
