This edition was prepared by David Fraser — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Domine exaudi orationem
Staff Notation • Sacred, Motets
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Domine exaudi orationem by William Byrd — Lyrics
Psalmus David, quando persequebatur eum Absalom filius ejus.
Domine, exaudi orationem meam; auribus percipe obsecrationem meam in veritate tua; exaudi me in tua justitia.
Et non intres in judicium cum servo tuo, quia non justificabitur in conspectu tuo omnis vivens.
Quia persecutus est inimicus animam meam; humiliavit in terra vitam meam; collocavit me in obscures, sicut mortuos saeculi.
Et anxiatus est super me spiritus meus; in me turbatum est cor meum.
Memor fui dierum antiquorum; meditatus sum in omnibus operibus tuis:
in factis manuum tuarum meditabar.
Expandi manus meas ad te; anima mea sicut terra sine aqua tibi. [diapsalma]
Velociter exaudi me, Domine; defecit spiritus meus. Non avertas faciem tuam a me, et similis ero descendentibus in lacum.
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About Domine exaudi orationem
William Byrd's motet Domine exaudi orationem is a powerful setting of Latin text drawn from Psalm 143. Scored for an unaccompanied ATTBB choir, this sacred work reflects the composer's mastery of Renaissance polyphony. The text, a prayer for deliverance and mercy, describes the anguish of being persecuted and facing judgment. Byrd's music vividly portrays the emotional depth of the psalm, from expressions of distress to appeals for divine intervention. This motet offers a profound musical experience, suitable for services or concert settings where expressive sacred choral music is appreciated.
