Morten Lauridsen

O magnum mysterium

O magnum mysterium 
et admirabile sacramentum 
ut animalia viderent Dominum natum 
jacentem in praesepio. 
Beata Virgo cujus viscera 
meruerunt portare 
Dominum Christum. 

O great wonder, 
and miraculous sacrament: 
that the animals see the Lord born 
lying in a manger. 
Blessed is the Virgin whose womb 
was worthy to bear 
the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Philip Ledger

Adam lay ybounden

Adam lay ybounden, 
Bounden in a bond;  
Four thousand winter 
Thought he not too long.

And all was for an apple,
An apple that he took,
As clerkes finden written 
In their book.

Ne had the apple taken been 
The apple taken been;  
Ne had never our lady 
A-been heavene queen.

Blessed be the time 
That apple taken was, 
Therefore we moun singen 
Deo gratias!

Sussex Carol

On Christmas night all Christians sing, 
To hear the news the angels bring,
News of great joy, news of great mirth, 
News of our merciful King's birth.

Then why should men on earth be so sad, 
Since our redeemer made us glad, 
When from our sin he set us free, 
All for to gain our liberty.

When sin departs before his grace, 
Then life and health come in its place; 
Angels and men with joy may sing, 
All for to see the new-born King. 

All out of darkness we have light, 
Which made the angels sing this night: 
'Glory to God and peace to men, 
Now and for evermore. Amen.'

Henry Ley (1887-1962)

God so loved the world

God so loved the world, 
that he gave his only begotten Son, 
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, 
but have everlasting life.

Richard Lloyd

Advent Prose

Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour forth righteousness: 
let the earth be fruitful, and bring forth a Saviour.  

Be not very angry, O Lord, neither remember our iniquity for ever: 
thy holy cities are a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation: 
our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee. 

We have sinned, and are as an unclean thing, 
and we all do fade as a leaf: 
our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away; 
thou hast hid thy face from us: 
and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities. 

Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen; 
that ye may know me and believe me: 
I, even I, am the Lord, and beside me there is no Saviour: 
and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.

Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, my salvation shall not tarry: 
I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions: 
fear not for I will save thee: 
for I am the Lord thy god, the holy one of Israel, thy Redeemer. 

Matthew Locke (c.1622-1677)

In the beginning, O Lord

In the beginning, O Lord, thou didst found the earth : 
and the heavens are the works of thy hands. 
They shall perish, but thou remainest : 
and they shall all wax old as a garment; 
And as a vesture thou shalt change them and they shall be changed : 
but thou art the selfsame and thy years shall not fail. 

Let God arise

Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered; 
let them also that hate him fly before him, 
but let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; 
let them also be merry and joyful.

O Lord, hear my prayer

O Lord, hear my prayer; 
and let my cry come unto thee.
Turn not away thy face me.
In what day soever I am in tribulation, incline thine ear unto me. 
In what day soever I shall invocate thee, O hear me speedily. 

Loosemore

O Lord, increase my faith

O Lord, increase my faith, 
strengthen me and confirm me in thy true faith; 
endue me with wisdom, charity, chastity and patience, 
in all my adversity. 
Sweet Jesu, say Amen. 

Antonio Lotti (1667-1740)

Crucifixus

Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato et sepultus est

Words of anthems by other composers: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z