O praise God, praise him in his holiness (William Billings)

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  • (Posted 2002-10-25)  CPDL #04123:        (Finale 2001)
Editor: Rafael Ornes (submitted 2002-10-25).   Score information: Letter, 9 pages, 280 kB   Copyright: CPDL
Edition notes:

General Information

Title: O praise God, praise him in his holiness
Composer: William Billings

Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB
Genre: SacredAnthem

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1794 in The Continental Harmony
Description: This anthem was published on pages 97-104 of Billings' The Continental Harmony, where it is headed 'Universal Praise: An Anthem, for Thanksgiving-Day, taken from Psalm 149, &c.'

External websites:

Original text and translations

English.png English text

O praise God, praise Him in his Holiness,
praise Him propagation, praise him vegetation,
and let your voice proclaim your choice,
and testify to standers by, with ardent fire,
your firm desire, to praise the Lord.

Let the leading bass inspire,
and stimulate with ardent fire,
Let the tenor catch the fire,
and specify their firm desire,
Let the counter still be high'r,
until all the parts have join'd the choir.
Let the treble join the choir.
Let all agree and join with me, to praise the Lord.

Shout ye hills and sing ye plains,
tell the earth Jehovah reigns,
sound the trumpets, beat the drums,
tell the earth Jehovah comes,
Sound the trumpets, roll the drums,
sound the trumpets, beat the drums,
tell the earth Jehovah comes,
to judge the world in righteousness,
and ev'ry injur'd saint redress,
let all agree, and join with me to praise the Lord.

O praise the Lord with one consent,
and in this grand design,
young men and maids, old men and babes,
unanimously join, let all agree,
and join with me to praise the Lord.
Let the organ strike a chord,
and sound the praise of Jubal's God,
Praise him on the harp and lute
and let not any string be mute
but all agree, and join with me to praise the Lord.

Hark, hear the sheep, how they bleat,
and sound their maker's praise,
their voice for shame and catch the flame
of universal praise the Lord.
Let the hearers fill their part,
tho' mute in voice yet join in heart
and praise the Lord.
Hallelujah, Amen.