A psalm about the greatness of kingship. Appointed for use on Christmas Day.
Dixit
Dominus Domino meo: sede
a dextris meis, donec ponem inimicos tuos scabellum pedum Virgam
virtutis tuae emittet Dominus ex Sion: dominare
in medio inimicorum tuorum.
Tecum
principium in die virtutis tuae: in
splendoribus sanctorum ex utero ante luciferum Iuravit Dominus et non pœnitebit eum: tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech. Dominus a dextris tuis confregit in die irae suae reges.
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The
Lord said unto my Lord: sit
thou on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The
Lord shall send the rod of thy power out of Sion: be
thou ruler, even in the midst among thine enemies. In the day of thy power shall the people offer thee freewill offerings with an holy worship: the dew of thy birth is of the womb of the morning. The
Lord sware and will not repent: thou
art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech. The
Lord upon thy right hand shall wound even kings in the day of his
wrath. He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with dead bodies: and smite in sunder the heads over diverse countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up his head. 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. |
Gioseffe Guami, born in the Tuscan city of Lucca, was an organist, singer and composer who was on the payroll of St Mark’s between 1561 and 1568, and who was a pupil of Adrian de Willaert. From 1568 he was principal organist at the court of Duke Albert V of Bavaria, in Munich, and then spent some time with Lassus in Italy. In 1558 he returned to St Mark’s and took up the post of first organist. He left three years later, in mysterious circumstances, but possibly disappointed at having failed to secure the post of Maestro di Cappella when Zarlino stepped down. In 1591 he took up what was to be his final position, as organist at Lucca Cathedral.
Redemptionem misit populo suo: mandavit in aeternum testamentum suum |
He hath sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever; |