This edition was prepared by Edmund Gooch — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Against all those that strive with me
Staff Notation • Sacred, Hymns
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Against all those that strive with me by Joseph Stephenson — Lyrics
Ipsi David. Judica, Domine, nocentes me;
expugna impugnantes me.
Apprehende arma et scutum, et exsurge in adjutorium mihi.
Effunde frameam, et conclude adversus eos qui persequuntur me; dic animae meae:
Salus tua ego sum.
Confundantur et revereantur quaerentes animam meam;
avertantur retrorsum et confundantur cogitantes mihi mala.
Fiant tamquam pulvis ante faciem venti, et angelus Domini coartans eos.
Fiat via illorum tenebrae et lubricum, et angelus Domini persequens eos.
Quoniam gratis absconderunt mihi interitum laquei sui;
supervacue exprobraverunt animam meam.
Veniat illi laqueus quem ignorat, et captio quam abscondit apprehendat
eum, et in laqueum cadat in ipsum.
Anima autem mea exsultabit in Domino, et delectabitur super salutari suo.
Omnia ossa mea dicent: Domine, quis similis tibi? eripiens inopem de manu fortiorum
ejus; egenum et pauperem a diripientibus eum.
Surgentes testes iniqui, quae ignorabam interrogabant me.
Retribuebant mihi mala pro bonis, sterilitatem animae meae.
Ego autem, cum mihi molesti essent, induebar cilicio; humiliabam in jejunio animam meam,
et oratio mea in sinu meo convertetur.
Quasi proximum et quasi fratrem nostrum sic conplacebam;
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About Against all those that strive with me
Joseph Stephenson's Against all those that strive with me is a powerful setting for SATB choir. The music immediately conveys a sense of urgency and conflict, mirroring the text's plea for divine intervention against enemies. The composer expertly crafts dramatic musical gestures, with driving rhythms and dynamic contrasts that reflect the text's martial imagery and the prayer for protection. The piece shifts between the Latin text, drawn from Psalm 17, and English translations, ensuring the message is clear and accessible. This work offers a compelling opportunity for choirs to explore vigorous choral writing and deliver a text of profound spiritual and emotional depth, making it a stirring choice for services or concerts.
