Find below the texts for the songs being performed by the Duke Chapel Choir on their 2023 tour of Ireland and Scotland, as well as an acknowledgment of supporters of the Music at Duke Chapel program.
DUKE CHAPEL CHOIR: 2023 Ireland & Scotland Tour Program
I. hear our prayer
Psallite Domino
William Byrd
(sung in Latin)
Sing to the Lord, who mounteth above the heaven of the heavens,
to the east. Alleluia.
– Psalm 67:33–34, Latin Vulgate
Jubilate Deo
Benjamin Britten
Oh, be joyful in the Lord all ye lands.
Serve the Lord with gladness,
and come before his presence with a song.
Be ye sure that the Lord he is God:
It is he that hath made us and not we ourselves;
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
Oh, go your way into his gates with thanksgiving,
and into his courts with praise.
Be thankful unto him, and speak good of his name.
For the Lord is gracious, his mercy is everlasting:
And his truth endureth from generation to generation.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.
– Psalm 100
Blessed Be the Lord, My Rock
Abbie Betinis
Blessed be the Lord, my rock and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer;
my shield and he in whom I take refuge.
We are like breath;
our days are like a passing shadow.
Bow thy heavens, O Lord, come down!
Stretch forth thy hand from on high;
Rescue me, deliver me.
I will sing a new song to thee, O God.
– adapt. from Psalm 144
Hear My Prayer
Felix Mendelssohn
Hear my prayer, O God, incline thine ear!
Thyself from my petition do not hide.
Take heed to me! Hear how in prayer I mourn to thee,
Without thee all is dark, I have no guide.
The enemy shouteth, the godless come fast!
Iniquity, hatred, upon me they cast!
The wicked oppress me; ah, where shall I fly?
Perplexed and bewildered, O God, hear my cry!
My heart is sorely pained within my breast;
my soul with deathly terror is oppressed.
Trembling and fearfulness upon me fall,
with horror overwhelmed: Lord, hear me call!
O for the wings, for the wings of a dove!
Far away, far away would I rove!
In the wilderness build me a nest,
and remain there forever at rest.
– William Bartholomew, adapt from Psalm 55
Non nobis, Domine
Rosephanye Powell
(sung in Latin)
Not unto us, Lord, but unto your name be the glory.
– Psalm 115:1
II. of love and light
Endless Radiance
Chris Williams
O Love, O pure deep Love, be here, be now,
Be all—worlds dissolve into your
stainless endless radiance,
Frail living leaves burn with you brighter
than cold stars—
Make me your servant, your breath, your core.
– Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī; trans. Andrew Harvey. Used by permission.
“…No darkness at all…” (A Quaker Reader)
Ned Rorem
Chad Fothergill, organ
Wondrous Love
Paul J. Christiansen
What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul,
that caused the Lord of life to bear the heavy cross,
what wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul,
that Christ should lay aside his crown for my soul.
O my soul, what wondrous, wondrous, love.
– anonymous, 19th century American
“There Is a Spirit That Delights to Do No Evil…” (A Quaker Reader)
Ned Rorem
Chad Fothergill, organ
The Deer’s Cry
Shaun Davey
I arise today
through the strength of heaven,
light of sun,
radiance of moon,
splendor of fire,
speed of lightning,
swiftness of wind,
depth of the sea,
stability of earth,
firmness of rock.
I arise today,
through God’s strength to pilot me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me
from all who shall wish me ill,
afar and anear,
alone and in a multitude,
against every cruel, merciless power
that may oppose my body and soul.
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise, Christ to shield me.
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me.
I arise today.
– adapt. from “St. Patrick’s Breastplate”
III. through the valley
Brother James’ Air
James L. Macbeth Bain
arr. Mack Wilberg
The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll not want,
he makes me down to lie.
In pastures green he leadeth me,
the quiet waters by.
He leadeth me, he leadeth me,
the quiet waters by.
My soul he doth restore again,
and me to walk doth make,
within the paths of blessedness,
e’en for his own name’s sake;
within the paths of blessedness,
e’en for his own name’s sake.
Yea, though I pass through death’s dark vale
yet will I fear no ill,
for thou are with me, and thy rod
and staff me comfort still;
thy rod and staff me comfort still,
me comfort still.
My table thou has furnished
in presence of my foes;
my head with oil thou dost anoint,
and my cup overflows.
My head thou dost with oil anoint,
and my cup overflows.
Goodness and mercy all my life
shall surely follow me,
and in God’s house forevermore
my dwelling place shall be;
and in God’s house forevermore
my dwelling place shall be.
– The Psalms of David in Metre, Edinburgh, 1650
We Shall Walk Through the Valley
Undine Smith Moore
Ah, Lord, we shall walk, we shall walk in peace.
We shall walk through the valley in peace.
We shall walk through the valley in peace.
If Jesus himself shall be our leader,
we shall walk through the valley in peace.
There will be no trials there.
There will be no trials there.
If Jesus himself shall be our leader,
we shall walk through the valley in peace.
– Black spiritual
Lord of the Dance
Larry L. Fleming
Refrain
Dance, then, wherever you may be;
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he,
and I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be,
and I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.
I danced in the morning when the world was begun,
and I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun,
and I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth;
at Bethlehem I had my birth. Refrain
I danced for the scribe and the pharisee.
But they would not dance, and they would not follow me.
I danced for the fishermen, for James and John,
they came with me and the dance went on. Refrain
I danced on a Friday when the sky turned black:
It’s hard to dance with the devil on your back.
They buried my body and they thought I’d gone;
but I am the Dance, and I still go on.
Then they cut me down and I leapt up high,
I am the Life that will never, never die,
I will live in you if you live in me;
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.
– Sidney Carter
Every Time I Feel the Spirit
William Dawson
Every time I feel the Spirit
moving in my heart, I will pray.
Yes, every time I feel the Spirit
moving in my heart, I will pray.
Upon the mountain my Lord spoke;
out of his mouth came fire and smoke.
I looked all around me, it looked so fine,
till I asked my Lord if all was mine.
Every time I feel the Spirit...
Jordan River is chilly and cold,
It chills the body, but not the soul;
there ain’t but one train upon this track,
it runs to heaven and right back.
Every time I feel the Spirit...
– Black spiritual
IV. go in peace
Benedictus
Alec Rowley
Daniel Jacky, organ
The Spirit of the Lord
Zebulon M. Highben
May the Spirit of the Lord rest upon you,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
who alone has done wondrous things.
– Isaiah 11:2 and Psalm 72:18, adapt.
Supporters
This tour, as well as other offerings from the Music at Duke Chapel program, is made possible through generous support from the following:
Duke Chapel Choir and Chapel Music Endowment
Director of Chapel Music Endowment
Agnus Dei Endowment Fund
Amy Geissinger Chapel Choir Quasi-Endowed Scholarship Fund
Barbara-Jean Ross Jones Music Education Fund
Bilpuch Music Fund
Carl A. Herring Carillon Endowment
C.B. Richardson Chapel Endowment Fund
Charles B. Wade Oratorio Endowment for Duke Chapel
Donald and Hazel Jansen Wallis Endowment
F. M. Kirby Foundation Endowment Fund for Chapel Music
Frances Wilson Leavenworth Endowment
Hurst Family Chapel Endowment
J. Benjamin Smith Endowment Fund
J. Foster Barnes Endowment
J. Horst & Ruth Mary Meyer Fund for Duke Chapel
James and Helen Burnett Coppridge Endowment Fund
Jefferson W. Kirby Duke Chapel Choir Scholarship Endowment Fund
John O. Blackburn Chapel Oratorio Fund
Marvin Boren and Elvira Lowe Smith Memorial Endowment Fund
Mary Duke Biddle Foundation Chapel Oratorio Endowment
Mildred Clusman Phillips Duke Chapel Choir Endowment
Professor Paul Young Endowment Fund
Roy A. Goss Memorial Fund
The Klove Family Fund
Thomas C. Clark Fund for Chapel Choral Music
Vereen Family Endowment for Choral Vespers
Waldo Beach Hymnody Endowment Fund
William Arthur Higgins Choir Scholarship Endowment Fund
...as well as the Friends of Duke University Chapel.