Chichester Psalms
Chichester Psalms was commissioned from Leonard Bernstein in 1965 by the Rev. Walter Hussey, the Dean of Chichester Cathedral. Bernstein set six psalms in three movements, to be sung in Hebrew.
Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor sets Yugen to Chichester Psalms in a co-production with Dutch National Ballet.
I. Psalm 108:2 and Psalm 100
Psalm 108:2
Urah, hanevel, v’chinor!
A-irah shahar!
Psalm 100
Hariu l’Adonai kol haarets.
Iv’du et Adonai b’simha.
Bo-u l’fanav bir’nanah.
D’u ki Adonai Hu Elohim.
Hu asanu, v’lo anahnu.
Amo v’tson mar’ito.
Bo-u sh’arav b’todah,
Hatseirotav bit’hilah,
Hodu lo, bar’chu sh’mo.
Ki tov Adonai, l’olam has’do,
V’ad dor vador emunato.
Psalm 108:2
Awake, psaltery and harp!
I will rouse the dawn!
Psalm 100
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye
lands.
Serve the Lord with gladness.
Come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the Lord, He is God.
It is He that hath made us, and not we
ourselves
We are His people and the sheep of His
pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good, His mercy is
everlasting.
And His truth endureth to all generations.
II. Psalm 23 and Psalm 2:1-4
Psalm 23:1-4
Adonai ro-i, lo ehsar.
Bin’ot deshe yarbitseini,
Al mei m’nuhot y’nahaleini,
Naf’shi y’shovev,
Yan’heini b’ma’aglei tsedek,
L’ma’an sh’mo.
Gam ki eilech
B’gei tsalmavet,
Lo ira ra,
Ki Atah imadi.
Shiv’t’cha umishan’techa
Hemah y’nahamuni.
Psalm 2:1-4
Lamah rag’shu goyim
Ul’umim yeh’gu rik?
Yit’yats’vu malchei erets,
V’roznim nos’du yahad
Al Adonai v’al m’shiho.
N’natkah et mos’roteimo,
Yoshev bashamayim
Yis’hak, Adonai
Yil’ag lamo!
Psalm 23:5-6
Ta’aroch l’fanai shulchan
Neged tsor’rai
Dishanta vashemen roshi
Cosi r’vayah.
Ach tov vahesed
Yird’funi kol y’mei hayai
V’shav’ti b’veit Adonai
L’orech yamim.
Psalm 23:1-4
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures,
He leadeth me beside the still waters,
He restoreth my soul,
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness,
For His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk
Through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
For Thou art with me.
Thy rod and Thy staff
They comfort me.
Psalm 2:1-4
Why do the nations rage,
And the people imagine a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the Lord and against His
anointed,
Saying, let us break their bands asunder
And cast away their cords from us.
He that sitteth in the heavens
Shall laugh, and the Lord
Shall have them in derision!
Psalm 23:5-6
Thou preparest a table before me
In the presence of mine enemies,
Thou annointest my head with oil,
My cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy
Shall follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
III. Psalm 131 and Psalm 133:1
Psalm 131
Adonai, Adonai,
Lo gavah libi,
V’lo ramu einai,
V’lo hilachti
Big’dolot uv’niflaot
Mimeni.
Im lo shiviti
V’domam’ti,
Naf’shi k’gamul alei imo,
Kagamul alai naf’shi.
Yahel Yis’rael el Adonai
Me’atah v’ad olam.
Psalm 133:1
Hineh mah tov,
Umah nayim,
Shevet ahim
Gam yahad.
Psalm 131
Lord, Lord,
My heart is not haughty,
Nor mine eyes lofty,
Neither do I exercise myself
In great matters or in things
Too wonderful for me to understand.
Surely I have calmed
And quieted myself,
As a child that is weaned of his mother,
My soul is even as a weaned child.
Let Israel hope in the Lord
From henceforth and forever.
Psalm 133:1
Behold how good,
And how pleasant it is,
For brethren to dwell
Together in unity.