Still I Sing Alleluia
Still I Sing Alleluia
Kyle Pederson (2023)
Voicing: SATB
Accompaniment: piano
Text: Kyle Pederson
Music: Kyle Pederson
Commissioned by The Master Singers, Gary Schwartzhoff, conductor
LYRICS:
With Spirit before me,
with Spirit behind,
with Spirit below and beside me;
with Spirit all around,
even where affliction's found;
I will sing, I will sound, "Alleluia."
When darkness descends
and the night never ends;
when my shadows and demons surround me;
when questions I spin
echo answerless within;
even then, even then, "Alleluia."
Alleluia, still I sing "Alleluia."
Open us to You
'til we sing, "Alleluia."
Weave joy in our gain,
bring us hope in our pain;
hear our prayers that we offer to you, Lord;
breathe life into death,
draw us closer with each breath;
that our lips may confess, "Alleluia."
So praise the Father and praise the Son,
praise the Spirit who moves in all through all;
all creation sound
the word so profound;
let us sing, let us live, "Alleluia!"
Program Note:
I’ve always loved the Scottish melody, Loch Lomond; it’s just achingly beautiful. The tune rarely (ever?) is performed in a worship setting, though, since the original lyrics are all about a body of water and a soldier’s plight. So I set to work crafting lyrics that I hope speak into the turbulence and challenges we face as individuals—and as a community.
