Finale Audio file. Text is from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. The first draft of this piece was written when the Episcopal church was still using the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. The antiphon appears in different harmonies and is developed at the end of the piece.

TEXT: Psalm 18:1-20 Diligam te, Domine.

 1. I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. [ANTIPHON]
* The Lord is  my stony rock, and my defence;
2 My Saviour, my God, and my might, in whom I will  trust; * my buckler, the horn also of my salvation, and my  refuge.    ANTIPHON
3 I will call upon the Lord, which is worthy to be  praised; * so shall I be safe from mine enemies. 
4 The sorrows of death compassed me, * and the overflowings  of ungodliness made me afraid. 
5 The pains of hell came about me; * the snares of death  overtook me.
 6 In my trouble I called upon the Lord, * and complained  unto my God:
 7 So he heard my voice out of his holy temple, * and my complaint came before him; it entered even into his  ears. ANTIPHON
8 The earth trembled and quaked, * the very foundations  also of the hills shook, and were removed, because  he was wroth. 
9 There went a smoke out in his presence, * and a consuming  fire out of his mouth, so that coals were kindled  at it.
 10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down, * and it  was dark under his feet. 
11 He rode upon the Cherubim, and did fly; * he came  flying upon the wings of the wind.    ANTIPHON
12 He made darkness his secret place, * his pavilion  round about him with dark water, and thick clouds to cover  him.
 13 At the brightness of his presence his clouds removed; * hailstones and coals of fire.
 14 The Lord also thundered out of heaven, and the  Highest gave his thunder; * hail stones and coals of fire.
 15 He sent out his arrows, and scattered them; * he cast  forth lightnings, and destroyed them. 
16 The springs of waters were seen, and the foundations  of the round world were discovered, * at thy chiding, O  Lord, at the blasting of the breath of thy displeasure.
 17 He sent down from on high to fetch me, * and took  me out of many waters.
 18 He delivered me from my strongest enemy, and from  them which hate me; * for they were too mighty for me. 
19 They came upon me in the day of my trouble; * but  the Lord was my upholder. 
20 He brought me forth also into a place of liberty; * he  brought me forth, even because he had a favour unto me.     ANTIPHON [expanded]

Psalm 18 Rev21Jun2023

Joseph McConaughy's Album

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Psalm 49 29Mar2025 USE Latest to BB + 1 change

Written as an Anthem for Ascension. Text is Psalm 47. Suitable for concert piece. 

Verses are based on the chittaswara of Raghuvamsha Sudha, a popular kriti (composition) in Carnatic (South Indian classical) music, composed by Patnam Subramania Iyer, set in the raga Kathanakuthuhalam. The ascending scale of this raga is: Do Re Fa La Ti Mi So Ďo, or in Indian parlance, Sa Ri Ma Dha Ni Ga Pa Ša (You can hear the India kriti sung by M.S. Subbulakshmi on youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wumtcpJsZWw  . The aforementioned chittaswara, which inspired the melody for the verses of the anthem, can be heard at 1:23 and again at three different tempos at 3:00 on that recording.) I first heard this kriti played by Mokkapati S. Nageswara Rao on vina. The first Indian singer I ever heard was M.S. Subbulakshmi, one of the most famous, in 1965 at Wesleyan University. 

This is a revision of my 2016 piece. Finale simulated voices. Two woodblocks. The score calls for clapping, but in this version other percussion instruments are used. Contact me for sheet music.

Psalm 47 Clap your Hands rev 4JApr2025

I write choral and solo settings of psalm texts, church service music, descants and hymn reharmonizations.  Background in classical choral music, Episcopal (Anglican) tradition, and South Indian classical music. St. Albans School, Wesleyan University. Psalms posted here include: 4, 6, 15, 18, 19, 22, 23, 25, 34, 36, 39, 47, 48, 49, 51, 54, 66, 72, 91, 100, 115, 130, 146, 148. Some were commissioned. At least half have been performed. Most of the uploaded compositions are Finale audio simulations but some are recordings of performances. Contact me for more information. I'm happy to share the sheet music with choir directors.

Psalm 18 Rev21Jun2023

Jim McConaughy

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