Chichester Psalms - Part Three

The third movement begins with a conflicted and busy instrumental prelude which recapitulates the chords and melody from the introduction; then suddenly it breaks into the gentle chorale set in a rolling 10/4 (3+2+3+2) meter which recalls desert palms swaying in the breeze.

The text is based on Psalm 133.


The Anglicized Hebrew lyrics:

Adonai, Adonai,

Lo gavah libi,

V'lo ramu einai,

V'lo hilachti

Big'dolot uv'niflaot

Mimeni.

Im lo shiviti

V'domam'ti,

Naf'shi k'gamul alei imo,

Kagamul alai naf'shi.

Yahel Yis'rael el Adonai

Me'atah v'ad olam.

English translation

Lord, Lord,

My heart is not haughty,

Nor mine eyes lofty,

Neither do I exercise myself

In great matters or in things

Too wonderful for me to understand.

Surely I have calmed

And quieted myself,

As a child that is weaned of his mother,

My soul is even as a weaned child.

Let Israel hope in the Lord

From henceforth and forever.