04 Sep A Psalm. For the Vigil of the Judgment Day.

THE CHOIR

To the chief musician, a word is sent:
God works the triumph of the innocent,
Cantors, celebrate this sacrament:

THE EXILE

I oppose with strength the liar’s assembly!
A song poses upon my heart intently,
To water the earth and find allies in praise!
Splashed with stinging wind and effulgent rays,
The Man Superb makes not time reversed:
He props up flesh to divine from accursed.

THE AVENGER

Adoration swells with an earthen dew,
A pelican raises wing to fly to fresh perches,
The righteous man in Zion diligently searches
The law for God and the image He drew.
His enemies scatters seed in vain amid rows,
For he shall reap it from them, a harvest for widows.

THE EXILE

The Lord is good! An eternal mercy endures on the land,
Blessed be the righteous, for he blesses by his God,
Forasmuch Abel slew pleasing oblations by his hand,
Might we walk through crimsoned water, each dry-shod,
Safe from torrents and the Leviathan wading in the deep
For the Lord is a shepherd, may He offer us up as sheep.

THE AVENGER

God pardons us with joy but stern adjuration,
Awake my soul! For the rite becomes adulation,
Lest we offer ourselves with it,
Lest we abandon our service to night air and flesh,
For the Lord is holy; God and transgressions cannot mesh.
Nay, not even one digit.
By supplications our hearts He might touch and refresh,
But prepare a tender day His patience reached its limit.

BOTH MEN

Who believes our report? Who has heard the illustrious victory: evangelion?

THE CHOIR

All receive it with rejoicing and beating of the breast.

BOTH MEN

Pray we partake not the yoke of the final test.

ALTOGETHER

Allelujah!
We tremble as we approach the holiest throne,
Celebrating the Lord of Hosts who turns time on its wheel,
Men reach into their depths and chant their repentant tone,
For justice sounds its bell and eternity God will seal.