This edition was prepared by Douglas Walczak — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Hear Thou my prayer
Staff Notation • Sacred, Anthems
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Hear Thou my prayer by J. D. Vance — Lyrics
Oratio pauperis, cum anxius fuerit, et in conspectu Domini effuderit precem suam.
Domine, exaudi orationem meam,
et clamor meus ad te veniat.
Non avertas faciem tuam a me:
in quacumque die tribulor, inclina ad me aurem tuam;
in quacumque die invocavero te, velociter exaudi me.
Quia defecerunt sicut fumus dies mei,
et ossa mea sicut cremium aruerunt.
Percussus sum ut foenum, et aruit cor meum,
quia oblitus sum comedere panem meum.
A voce gemitus mei adhaesit os meum carni meae.
Similis factus sum pellicano solitudinis;
factus sum sicut nycticorax in domicilio.
Vigilavi, et factus sum sicut passer solitarius in tecto.
Tota die exprobrabant mihi inimici mei,
et qui laudabant me adversum me jurabant:
quia cinerem tamquam panem manducabam,
et potum meum cum fletu miscebam,
a facie irae et indignationis tuae:
quia elevans allisisti me.
Dies mei sicut umbra declinaverunt,
et ego sicut foenum arui.
Tu autem, Domine, in aeternum permanes,
et memoriale tuum in generationem et generationem.
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About Hear Thou my prayer
This anthem opens with a gentle, prayerful mood, the voices weaving together in a homophonic texture that clearly articulates the plea for divine attention. The Latin text, drawn from Psalm 102, describes the anguish of the afflicted, and the music reflects this vulnerability through its flowing melodic lines and carefully controlled dynamics. As the text progresses, the composer builds intensity, depicting the desperate cry for help. The English translation is woven into the fabric of the music, offering accessibility to the profound spiritual expression. The SATB voicing provides a rich palette for conveying the emotional arc from supplication to expectant hope, making it a moving choice for sacred occasions.
