Psalm 31

General Information:

Liturgical Uses:  Responsorial psalm for Good Friday

Refrain:      
“Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit.”

©2012  R. J. F. Burckardt & J. V. Frias.  All rights reserved.

Verses:                            
1) In you, O Lord, I take refuge;
Let me never be put to shame.
Into your hand I commend my spirit;
You will redeem me, O Lord, O faithful God.

2) For all my foes I am an object of reproach,
A laughing stock to my neighbors, and a dread to my friends.
They who see me a broad flee from me.
I am forgotten like the unremembered dead.
I am like a dish, which is broken.

3) But my trust is in you, O Lord;
I say, "You are my God.
into your hands is my destiny;
Rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors."

4) Let your face shine upon your servant;
Save me in your kindness.
Take courage and be stouthearted,
All you who trust in the Lord.

Arrangement:
Composers:  Rachel J. Burckardt  & Jason Villarreal Frias

Vocal:                             
Refrain:  SATB choir, a capella
Verses:   Bass cantor, a capella or with cello

Instruments:                
A capella or with solo cello

Availability:

Sheet Music:                
Download:  A-capella setting for bass cantor and SATB choir on refrain
Order from Wood Harbor Music

Recorded Versions:
CD:  You Are My Inheritance

Video:


Featuring:
Cello:  Petr Spacek
Cantor:  Jason Villarreal
Schola:  Mary Casiello, Megan Lewis, Rosie Delacruz, Sean Trainer, Josh Daniels, John Paul Casiello, Peter Rozman
Composed by:  Rachel J. Burckardt & Jason Villarreal
Arranged by:  Rachel J. Burckardt
Recorded by:  Evan Landry
Produced by:  Rachel J. Burckardt
©2013 Rachel J. Burckardt & Jason Villarreal.    All Rights Reserved.

Composer's Notes:
My friend, Jason Villarreal Frias, a bass in the choir at St. Cecilia Parish, Boston, MA, approached me about writing a pieces specifically for the lower voices, and Psalm 31 was one suggestion.  I originally wrote this as a pure a capella piece.  On Good Friday, the church is bare and this is the first sung piece, after the suffering servant reading from Isaiah.  The starkness of the piece fits the mood of the service.

When I had the opportunity to record with and incredibly talented cellist, Petr Spacek, who played with us for the last 4 years while attending New England Conservatory, I injected a cello line.  Initially, the cello states the melody before the cantor sings it, followed by the congregation and choir.  Each verse is set up by a short cello introduction.  The cello then enters and leaves, accompanying the bass cantor.

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