O laud the Lord

• The Lord my Shepherd is
• Morning Star

The words used in this piece are Psalms 150 and 23 from The Sidney Psalter, an English translation and versification of the entire book of Psalms. Sir Philip Sidney (1554-1586)
created poetic versions of the first 43 psalms, and after his death the project was completed by his sister,  Mary Herbert, Countess of Pembroke (1561-1621). The Psalter was not published until 1823. Texts below (spellings modernised):



O laud the Lord, the God of hosts commend,
       Exalt his pow’r, advance his holiness:
       With all your might lift his almightiness;
Your greatest praise upon his greatness spend.
 
Make trumpet’s noise in shrillest notes ascend;
       Make lute and lyre his loved fame express;
       Him let the pipe, him let the tabret bless,
Him organ’s breath, that winds or waters lend.
 
Let ringing timbrels so his honor sound,
       Let sounding cymbals so his glory ring,
       That in their tunes such melody be found
As fits the pomp of most triumphant king.
 
Conclude: by all that air or life enfold,
       Let high Jehovah highly be extolled.


The Lord, the Lord, my Shepherd is,
And so can never I
Taste misery:
He rests me in green pastures His:
By waters still and sweet,
He guides my feet.

He me revives; leads me the way
Which righteousness doth take,
For His name's sake:
Yea, though I should through valleys stray
Of death's dark shade, I will
No whit fear ill.

For Thou, dear Lord, Thou me besett'st
Thy rod and Thy staff be
To comfort me:
Before me Thou a table settest,
Even when foe's envious eye
Doth it espy.

Thou oilst my head, Thou fillest my cup;
Nay more, Thou endless good,
Shalt give me food.
To Thee, I say, ascended up,
Where Thou, the Lord of all,
Dost hold Thy hall.

• choral - mixed voices accompanied