Musical Notes

Hello OCBC family,

 Last Sunday our pastor shared with us an ancient document called “The Apostles’ Creed” which declares  what the universal church believes; it is a beautiful creed.  In reading about ancient creeds, or prayers, I found another old prayer of worship called “Te Deum” (Thee, O God, We Praise).  It is from the 4th century,  probably put together by Nicetas, bishop of Remesiana.  This is the Te Deum:

We praise thee, O God:
    we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship thee:
    the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud:
    the Heavens, and all the Powers therein.
To thee Cherubim and Seraphim:
    continually do cry,
Holy, Holy, Holy :
    Lord God of Hosts;
Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty :
    of thy glory.
The glorious company of the Apostles: praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the Prophets: praise thee.
The noble army of Martyrs: praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world:
    doth acknowledge thee;
The Father: of an infinite Majesty;
Thine honourable, true: and only Son;
Also the Holy Ghost : the Comforter.
Thou art the King of Glory: O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son: of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man:
    thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death:
    thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God: in the glory of the Father.
We believe that thou shalt come: to be our Judge.
We therefore pray thee, help thy servants:
    whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy Saints: in glory everlasting.

O Lord, save thy people:
    and bless thine heritage.
Govern them: and lift them up forever.
Day by day: we magnify thee;
And we worship thy Name : ever world without end.
Vouchsafe, O Lord: to keep us this day without sin.
O Lord, have mercy upon us: have mercy upon us.
O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us:
    as our trust is in thee.
O Lord, in thee have I trusted:
    let me never be confounded.

In His service,

Israel