Merciful Saviour, Hear Our Humble Prayer

Give Their Spirits Light and Endless Rest

Merciful Saviour, Hear Our Humble Prayer was written by the Sulpician Priest and author, Fr. Melvin L. Farrell. It is sung to the tune, Old 124th by the French Renaissance composer Louis Bourgeois (c.1510–1560). It is just one of several settings of the Psalms he wrote for John Calvin's Genevan Psalter of 1551. The words to Merciful Saviour, Hear Our Humble Prayer can be found in this example of the Liturgy for the Anglican Vespers for the Dead.


Tune: Old 124th

Holy Mary, Now We Crown You

Glorious Queen

Holy Mary, Now We Crown You was first published in 1955. It was written by the Sulpician Priest, Fr. Melvin L. Farrell. He is the author of a number of books including Getting to Know the Bible: A Catholic Guide to Studying Scripture (2003). Holy Mary, Now We Crown You is set to the 1735 tune: Steiner by Johann Ludwig Steiner (1688-1761). The following video features a new musical setting by the contemporary Philippine composer and organist, Alejandro D. Consolacion II. It uses stanzas 3,4, and 5; plus the refrain. In the liturgy of the Hours, Holy Mary, Now We Crown You is used in the Commons of the Blessed Virgin Mary.


ALTERNATE TUNE

Heart of Christ

Refuge From Our Strife

Heart of Christ, first published in 1955 was written by Fr. Melvin Farrell, S.S. It is sung to the 1715 tune, Stuttgart by Lutheran organist, composer Christian F. Witt (1660-1716). When Witt's health failed, a 31 year old JS Bach (1685-1750) was commissioned to substitute for him during Passion Week as Kapellmeister in the Court Chapel of Gotha. It is thought that the work performed was Bach's lost "Weimarer Passion". In the Liturgy of the Hours, Heart of Christ is used on the Feast of the Sacred Heart.


Tune: Stuttgart

Let the Earth Rejoice and Sing

Alleluia!

Let the Earth Rejoice and Sing was written by the Sulpician Priest, Fr. Melvin Farrell in 1955. It is set to the tune, Lianfair, first taken down in manuscript form in 1817 as sung by the blind Welch singer Robert Williams (1781-1821). In the Liturgy of the Hours, Let the Earth Rejoice and Sing is used at Ascension.

O Sacred Head, Surrounded

Crown of Piercing Thorn 

O Sacred Head, Surrounded is a translation by Sir Henry W. Baker (1821-1877) of the final portion of the medieval Latin poem, Salve Mundi Salutare. This lengthy medieval poem is a meditation on the sufferings of Christ's body at the crucifixion. Historically it has been attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1091-1153), but recent research suggests it is more likely the work of the Cistercian Abbot, Arnulf of Leuven (c.1200-1250). An early translation into German was done by the Lutheran hymnist, Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676). That version was then translated into english by Presbyterian minister and theologian, James W. Alexander (1804-1859). His, O Sacred Head, Now Wounded is the source of the different versions of the hymn by that same name. It is believed that Baker's hymn is instead a translation from the original latin. The text included in the Liturgy of the Hours contains an additional verse written by Melvin Farrell, S.S., first published in 1961. It is set to the Passion Chorale by Hans Leo Hassler (1564-1612) which was originally published as the tune for a secular love song in 1601, and then eventually adapted to Gerhardt's hymn in 1656. Other famous composers who have used the same melody include: Johann Sebastian Bach (St Matthew's Passion), Franz Liszt (Way of the Cross), and Paul Simon (American Tune). In the Liturgy of the Hours, O Sacred Head, Surrounded is used on Palm Sunday and during Holy Week.



O SACRED HEAD SURROUNDED - Translated by Henry Baker (Public Domain)

1. O Sacred Head surrounded
By crown of piercing thorn!
O bleeding Head so wounded,
Reviled and put to scorn!
Death's pallid hue comes o'er Thee,
The glow of life decays,
Yet angel hosts adore Thee,
And tremble as they gaze.

2.   I see Thy strength and vigor
All fading in the strife,
And death with cruel rigor,
Bereaving Thee of life:
O agony and dying!
O love to sinners free!
Jesus, all grace supplying,
O turn Thy face on me.

3.  In this, Thy bitter passion,
Good shepherd, think of me,
With Thy most sweet compassion,
Unworthy though I be:
Beneath Thy cross abiding,
Forever would I rest;
In Thy dear love confiding,
And with Thy presence blest.

4.  But death too is my ending;
In that dread hour of need,
My friendless cause befriending,
Lord, to my rescue speed:
Thyself, O Jesus, trace me,
Right passage to the grave,
And from Thy cross embrace me,
With arms outstretched to save.

Draw Near, O Lord / Attende Domine

Our Grieving Lifts Our Eyes to Heaven

Draw Near, O Lord is a 1961 translation by Fr. Melvin Farrell, S.S. of Attende Domine, a 10th century Mozarabic penitential hymn of supplication traditionally sung during Lent. The Mozarabic Rite is an ancient rite of the Church that was used throughout much of the Iberian Peninsula up until the 11th century and continues to be used in the Capilla Muzárabe in the Toledo Cathedral, the Chapel of San Salvador at Talavera, and the Old Cathedral of Salamanca. Draw Near, O Lord is set to the traditional melody of Attende Domine, as first published in the Paris Processional of 1824. In the Liturgy of the Hours it is used during Lent.


Tune: Attende Domine with Refrain (English)

ATTENDE DOMINE

Refrain: Attende Domine, et miserere, Quia peccavimus tibi.
(Hear us, O Lord, and have mercy, because we have sinned against Thee.)

1. Ad te Rex summe, Omnium Redemptor, Oculos nostros Sublevamus flentes: Exaudi, Christe, Supplicantum preces.

 2. Dextera Patris, Lapis angularis, Via salutis, Janua caelestis, Ablue nostri Maculas delicti.

 3. Rogamus, Deus, Tuam majestatem: Auribus sacris Gemitus exaudi: Crimina nostra Placidus indulge.

 4. Tibi fatemur Crimina admissa: Contrito corde Pandimus occulta: Tua, Redemptor, Pietas ignoscat.

 5. Innocens captus, Nec repugnans ductus; Testibus falsis Pro impiis damnatus: Quos redemisti, Tu conserva, Christe.


Tune: Attende Domine with Refrain (Latin)

You Heavens, Open From Above / Roráte Caéli

That Clouds May Rain the Just One

You Heavens, Open From Above is a translation by Fr. Melvin Farrell, S.S. of the ancient latin hymn for Advent, Rorate Caeli. The opening line is based upon Isaiah 45:8 : " Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just". The musical setting used in the Liturgy of the Office was first published in Paris in 1634 and attributed to P. Bourget. The version preformed in the video below is a 20th century arrangement by French organist, Jeanne Demessieux. In the Liturgy of the Hours, You Heavens, Open From Above is used during Advent.


Tune by P. Bourget, 1634

RORATE CAELI (Public Domain)

Refrain: Roráte caéli désuper,et núbes plúant jústum.

 1. Ne irascáris Dómine,
ne ultra memíneris iniquitátis:
ecce cívitas Sáncti fácta est desérta:
Síon desérta fácta est:
Jerúsalem desoláta est:
dómus sanctificatiónis túæ et glóriæ túæ,
ubi laudavérunt te pátres nóstri.

 2. Peccávimus, et fácti súmus tamquam immúndus nos,
et cecídimus quasi fólium univérsi:
et iniquitátes nóstræ quasi véntus
abstulérunt nos: abscondísti faciem túam a nóbis,
et allisísti nos in mánu iniquitátis nóstræ.

 3. Víde Dómine afflictiónem pópuli túi,
et mítte quem missúrus es:
emítte Agnum dominatórem térræ,
de Pétra desérti ad móntem fíliæ Síon:
ut áuferat ípse júgum captivitátis nóstræ.

 4. Consolámini, consolámini, pópule méus:
cito véniet sálus túa:
quare mæróre consúmeris,
quia innovávit te dólor?
Salvábo te, nóli timére,
égo enim sum Dóminus Déus túus,
Sánctus Israël, Redémptor túus.

Wake, Awake, the Night is Dying

The Brightness of Eternity

Wake, Awake, the Night is Dying is a 1966 translation by Fr. Melvin Farrell S.S. (1930-1986) of the original 1599 Lutheran hymn by Philipp Nicolai (1556-1608) with later harmonizations added by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). Nicolai wrote both words and music to Wach­et auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying) when serving as a pastor in Westphalia, 1300 of his parishioners died during an epidemic. It is based on the Parable of the Ten Virgins found in Matthew 25:1–13. There are a number of English translations of the text using Wachet Auf including Wake, Awake and Sleep No Longer which is sung in the following video. In the Liturgy of the Hours, Wake, Awake, the Night is Dying is used during Advent.