THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU

Peter C. Lutkin’s setting of "The Lord Bless You and Keep You" is one of the most beloved choral benedictions sung by choirs today. Drawing its text directly from the ancient Aaronic blessing in the Book of Numbers, the piece wraps the congregation in a profound sense of peace and divine protection. In Nigerian parishes, it is often the perfect choice for a recessional, a farewell to a departing priest, or a special blessing over newlyweds, sending the faithful forth with a gentle but powerful prayer.

The music is written for unaccompanied voices, moving with a quiet, flowing reverence that requires careful listening and blend from the singers. The Soprano line carries the familiar, comforting melody, while the lower voices provide a warm, shifting harmony that highlights the text's promises of grace and peace.

What truly sets this arrangement apart is its concluding "Seven-fold Amen." Rather than a simple, quick close, the choir weaves through seven distinct, overlapping Amens. The voices rise and fall in a cascading sequence, building to a quiet, lingering final chord that leaves a lasting stillness in the church long after the final note fades.