I Will Lift Mine Eyes

This anthem for SATB voices opens with an immediate sense of aspiration, the vocal lines reaching upwards, painting a picture of seeking divine help. Sowerby sets Psalm 121, also known as Canticum graduum, a traditional text of pilgrimage and trust in God's protection. The Latin verses, focusing on the Lord as a constant guardian against all harm, are interspersed with an English translation that echoes the same message of unwavering faith. The music's texture shifts and builds, reflecting the security and peace found in the knowledge that God watches over us, from day to night, and for all time. This is a powerful and reflective setting of a profound biblical passage.