This edition was prepared by Douglas Walczak — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
How long, O Lord, shall sinful men
Staff Notation • Sacred, Hymns
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How long, O Lord, shall sinful men by James Nares — Lyrics
Psalmus ipsi David, quarta sabbati. Deus ultionum Dominus; Deus ultionum libere egit.
Exaltare, qui judicas terram; redde retributionem superbis.
Usquequo peccatores, Domine, usquequo peccatores gloriabuntur;
effabuntur et loquentur iniquitatem; loquentur omnes qui operantur injustitiam?
Populum tuum, Domine, humiliaverunt, et haereditatem tuam vexaverunt.
Viduam et advenam interfecerunt, et pupillos occiderunt.
Et dixerunt: Non videbit Dominus, nec intelliget Deus Jacob.
Intelligite, insipientes in populo; et stulti, aliquando sapite.
Qui plantavit aurem non audiet? aut qui finxit oculum non considerat?
Qui corripit gentes non arguet, qui docet hominem scientiam?
Dominus scit cogitationes hominum, quoniam vanae sunt.
Beatus homo quem tu erudieris, Domine, et de lege tua docueris eum:
ut mitiges ei a diebus malis, donec fodiatur peccatori fovea.
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About How long, O Lord, shall sinful men
This setting of Psalm 94, a powerful lament and plea for justice, would be fitting for services of penitence or reflection. It opens with a direct address to God as the Lord of Vengeance, asking how long the wicked shall triumph. The text moves through accusations of oppression and the denial of divine oversight, before a more reasoned plea for understanding and divine retribution. Nares's SATB setting, with its English text derived from this Latin psalm, offers a compelling musical expression of faith confronting injustice. The homophonic texture throughout the piece emphasizes the directness and clarity of the message, making it a strong choice for choirs seeking to convey spiritual struggle and the hope for divine intervention.
