Choral Piece of the Day, Installment 23: One of my most effective and slightly more extended a cappella sacred choral compositions, Psalm 84 for SATB chorus was completed in 2002 for the publisher's Psalm Songs Series which features settings of new translations. The English translation from the original Hebrew is my own. The ECS Publishing Group Catalog Number for this title is 6065.
Follow the next link to hear a performance by the Philovox Ensemble, Jennifer Lester, conductor.
Follow the next link to see a partial PDF sample of the score, or to purchase performance copies.
Follow the next link to see and hear my YouTube music video for this title.
TEXT
How pleasant are your dwelling places,
Holy Lord of hosts.
My soul yearns and even longs
for the courtyards of the Holy One;
my heart and my flesh will sing for gladness
to the living God.
Even the bird has found a house for herself
and the swallow a nest for herself
in which to place her young
on your ruined altars,
Holy Lord of hosts, my sovereign and my God.
Happy are those
who dwell in your house;
they will ever praise you, Selah.
Happy is the one
whose help is in you,
in whose heart are your ways.
Those passing through
the depths of Hell
make it into a wellspring with their tears;
even they will encompass their teacher with their blessings.
They go from strength to strength,
appearing before God in Zion.
Holy One, Lord of hosts,
hearken to my prayer,
lend your ear, God of Jacob [and Rachel], Selah.
See the temple that is our sanctuary, O God,
and consider the countenance of your anointed.
For one day in your courtyards
is better than a thousand days spent elsewhere;
I would rather stand at the entrance
to the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of evil.
For God, the Holy One,
is my sun and my shield;
the Holy One grants aid and honor,
God will not hold back goodness
from those who walk with righteousness.
Holy Lord of hosts,
happy is the one who trusts in you.
Psalm 84
Translation by Stanley M. Hoffman
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