Miserere
Tenebrae Lyrics


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"Miserere mei, Deus
Secundum magnam misericordiam tuam.
Et secundum multitudinem miserationem tuarum,
Dele iniquitatem meam
Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea
Et a peccato meo munda me
Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco
Et peccatum meum contra me est semper
Tibi soli peccavi
Et malum coram te feci
Ut justificeris in sermonibus tuis
Et vincas cum judicaris
Ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum
Et in peccatis concepit me mater mea
Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti
Incerta et occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi
Asperges me hyssopo, et mundabor
Lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor
Auditui meo dabis gaudium et laetitiam
Et exultabunt ossa humiliata
Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis
Et omnes iniquitates meas dele
Cor mundum crea in me, Deus
Et spiritum rectum innova, in visceribus meis
Ne proiecias me a facie tua
Et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me
Redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui
Et spiritu principali confirma me
Docebo iniquos vias tuas
Et impii ad te convertentur
Libera me de sanquinibus, Deus
Deus salutis meae
Et exultabit lingua mea justitiam tuam
Domine, labia mea aperies
Et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam
Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem utique
Holocaustis non delectaberis
Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus
Cor contritum, et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies
Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion
Ut aedificentur muri Jerusalem
Tunc acceptabis sacrificium justitiae
Oblationes et holocausta
Tunc imponenet super altare tuum vitulos

Have mercy upon me, O God
After thy great goodness
According to the multitude of thy mercies
Do away mine offences
Wash me throughly from my wickedness
And cleanse me from my sin
For I acknowledge my faults
And my sin is ever before me
Against thee only have I sinned
And done this evil in thy sight
That thou mightest be justified in thy saying
And clear when thou shalt judge
Behold, I was shapen in wickedness
And in sin hath my mother conceived me
But lo, thou requirest truth in the inward parts
And shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly
Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean
Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow
Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness
That the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice
Turn thy face from my sins
And put out all my misdeeds
Make me a clean heart, O God
And renew a right spirit within me
Cast me not away from thy presence
And take not thy holy Spirit from me
O give me the comfort of thy help again
And stablish me with thy free Spirit
Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked
And sinners shall be converted unto thee
Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God
Thou that art the God of my health
And my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness
Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord
And my mouth shall show thy praise
For thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it thee
But thou delightest not in burnt-offerings
The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit
A broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise
O be favourable and gracious unto Sion
Build thou the walls of Jerusalem
Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of




Righteousness, with the burnt-offerings and oblations
Then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar "

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Tenebrae Nigel Short's song "Miserere" are a setting of Psalm 51 from the Book of Psalms in the Bible. The Psalm is attributed to King David, who wrote it as a prayer of repentance after his affair with Bathsheba and the subsequent death of her husband. The lyrics express deep remorse and a plea for forgiveness and cleansing from sin.


The song begins with a cry for mercy from God, acknowledging His great goodness and multitude of mercies. The singer asks for their offenses to be done away with and to be thoroughly cleansed from wickedness and sin. They acknowledge their faults, realizing that their sins are ever before them. The singer confesses that they have sinned against God alone and have done evil in His sight, recognizing that their sins are ultimately against Him.


The lyrics continue with a reflection on the nature of human sinfulness, acknowledging that they were conceived in wickedness and born into a sinful world. Despite this, they recognize that truth is what God desires in the innermost parts, and through this understanding, they hope to receive wisdom from God. The plea for cleansing continues, with a metaphorical washing that will make them whiter than snow. The singer desires to hear joy and gladness once again, and for their broken bones to rejoice.


The lyrics then express the desire for God to turn His face away from the singer's sins and to remove all misdeeds. A plea is made for God to create a clean heart within them and to renew a right spirit. They ask not to be cast away from God's presence and to not have the Holy Spirit taken from them. Seeking comfort, the singer asks for the help of God and to be established with His free Spirit.


The rest of the lyrics express the singer's commitment to teach God's ways to the wicked and convert sinners. They ask for deliverance from blood-guiltiness, and declare that their tongue will sing of God's righteousness. The singer pleads for God to open their lips so that they can proclaim His praise. They acknowledge that God does not desire sacrifices or burnt offerings but rather a troubled spirit and a contrite heart. The lyrics conclude with a plea for favor and grace upon Jerusalem, with the hope that the walls will be rebuilt. The singer expresses that God will be pleased with sacrifices of righteousness, burnt offerings, and oblations, and that young bullocks will be offered upon His altar.


In summary, the lyrics of "Miserere" express a heartfelt repentance, a plea for forgiveness and cleansing, and a desire for a renewed spirit and a clean heart. It is a prayer of confession and a longing for reconciliation with God.


Line by Line Meaning

Miserere mei, Deus
Have mercy upon me, O God


Secundum magnam misericordiam tuam.
After thy great goodness


Et secundum multitudinem miserationem tuarum,
According to the multitude of thy mercies


Dele iniquitatem meam
Do away mine offences


Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea
Wash me throughly from my wickedness


Et a peccato meo munda me
And cleanse me from my sin


Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco
For I acknowledge my faults


Et peccatum meum contra me est semper
And my sin is ever before me


Tibi soli peccavi
Against thee only have I sinned


Et malum coram te feci
And done this evil in thy sight


Ut justificeris in sermonibus tuis
That thou mightest be justified in thy saying


Et vincas cum judicaris
And clear when thou shalt judge


Ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum
Behold, I was shapen in wickedness


Et in peccatis concepit me mater mea
And in sin hath my mother conceived me


Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti
But lo, thou requirest truth in the inward parts


Incerta et occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi
And shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly


Asperges me hyssopo, et mundabor
Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean


Lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor
Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow


Auditui meo dabis gaudium et laetitiam
Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness


Et exultabunt ossa humiliata
That the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice


Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis
Turn thy face from my sins


Et omnes iniquitates meas dele
And put out all my misdeeds


Cor mundum crea in me, Deus
Make me a clean heart, O God


Et spiritum rectum innova, in visceribus meis
And renew a right spirit within me


Ne proiecias me a facie tua
Cast me not away from thy presence


Et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me
And take not thy holy Spirit from me


Redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui
O give me the comfort of thy help again


Et spiritu principali confirma me
And stablish me with thy free Spirit


Docebo iniquos vias tuas
Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked


Et impii ad te convertentur
And sinners shall be converted unto thee


Libera me de sanquinibus, Deus
Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God


Deus salutis meae
Thou that art the God of my health


Et exultabit lingua mea justitiam tuam
And my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness


Domine, labia mea aperies
Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord


Et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam
And my mouth shall show thy praise


Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem utique
For thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it thee


Holocaustis non delectaberis
But thou delightest not in burnt-offerings


Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus
The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit


Cor contritum, et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies
A broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise


Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion
O be favourable and gracious unto Sion


Ut aedificentur muri Jerusalem
Build thou the walls of Jerusalem


Tunc acceptabis sacrificium justitiae
Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of Righteousness


Oblationes et holocausta
with the burnt-offerings and oblations


Tunc imponenet super altare tuum vitulos
Then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar




Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: JAMES MACMILLAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@Gustavytto

Lyrics/Letras:

Miserere mei, Deus: secundum magnam misericordiam tuam.

Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum, dele iniquitatem meam.

Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea: et a peccato meo munda me.

Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco: et peccatum meum contra me est semper.

Tibi soli peccavi, et malum coram te feci: ut justificeris in sermonibus tuis, et vincas cum judicaris.

Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus: cor contritum, et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies.

Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion: ut aedificentur muri Ierusalem.

Tunc acceptabis sacrificium justitiae, oblationes, et holocausta: tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos.



@JohnDoe-kc5lq

How Mozart, the Vatican, and centuries of mistakes resulted in one of the greatest pieces of music ever written.

In 1638, a singer in the Sistine Chapel Choir composed a setting of Psalm 51 to be sung there during Holy Week. That singer was Gregorio Allegri, and his setting, now commonly known as Miserere, is one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written.
But not only is the version we sing today significantly different from Allegri’s original manuscript — if it weren’t for one particularly precocious 14-year-old, it may never have been heard outside the Vatican’s walls.

Papal secrecy
Allegri’s Miserere was the last and the most popular of twelve different settings of the same text written for the Vatican over 120 years. It was so good that, to preserve the sense of mystery around the music, the Pope forbade anyone from transcribing it, on pain of excommunication. Only three copies were made: one for the Holy Roman Emperor, one for the King of Portugal, and one for an eminent music scholar — but these versions were so simplified from the original that the King of Portugal actually complained. The Pope wanted to keep its genius a secret — and so it remained for over 100 years.
Wolfgang’s trip to Rome
What the Pope hadn’t planned for was Leopold Mozart’s trip to Rome in 1770; and, more specifically, the attendance of his 14-year-old son, Wolfgang Amadeus.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
The Mozarts popped into the Wednesday service at the Vatican, at which the Miserere was being performed. A couple of hours later, back at home, the young Wolfgang proceeded to transcribe the entire piece from memory. He went back on Friday to make a couple of corrections — and the Vatican’s secret was out.
Later on in their travels, the Mozarts bumped into British music historian Dr Charles Burney. They passed on the manuscript to Dr Burney, who took it to London; and it was published there in 1771.
Mendelssohn and the copying error
But that wasn’t the end of the story. In 1831, Felix Mendelssohn decided to make his own transcription — and the version he heard happened to be sung higher than originally intended (a fourth higher, to be precise).

Felix Mendelssohn
This wouldn’t have been of much consequence had it not been for an innocent mistake made 50 years later. When the first edition of Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians was being put together in 1880, a small section of Mendelssohn’s higher transcription was accidentally inserted into a passage of the Miserere being used to illustrate an article. This mistake was then reproduced in various editions over the next century, eventually becoming the accepted version. And the result is the most famous and probably the most moving passage of the piece — a beautiful top C sung by a treble soloist, pretty much the highest note found in the entire choral repertoire.
So, whenever you hear Allegri’s Miserere today, remember how lucky you are — lucky that the Mozarts chose a good time to visit Rome, lucky that Mendelssohn transcribed it up a fourth, and lucky that one of Grove’s early editors had a momentary lapse of concentration.



@the.seagull.35

‭Acts‬ ‭16:25‭-‬34‬ ‭🙏

[25] About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

[26] Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.

[27] The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. [28] But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

[29] The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. [30] He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

[31] They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

[32] Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. [33] At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. [34] The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. ✝️❤



All comments from YouTube:

@pedrorocha220

Imagine being a hardworking medieval farmer, entering the church and listening to this chant. Impossible not to think the angels are welcoming you in heaven.

@thomas_walker

indeed. nothing would have made me more confident in my faith than experiencing this song

@timolff9239

This is from the 17th century.

@pedrorocha220

@@timolff9239 good remark! I had the impression this was a kind of Gregorian Chant, that’s why I mentioned the Middle Ages.

@Frodokeuh

I don't think peasants were allowed to go into these churches back then lol

@hello_this_is_me-.-.-.-.-

Why Britain is full of Muslims now. Why ..

38 More Replies...

@brendon205

Everyone seems to ignore the bass singers, those low notes are impressive

@oOStill

They'd only recognize him, if there were thousands of Insta-/TikTok videos of him.

@Carrancka

Bass is like eyebrows. If they're good, you won't even notice them. But if you remove it, oh boy...

@Bulletstop75

It's so freaking clean

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