Illumina oculos meos

General information

Offertory for Pentecost IV (Ordinary Time10). Text from Psalm 12:4b-5a (Vulgate).

Settings by composers

Arjan van Baest SATB Johann Feldmayr ATB Orlando di Lasso SATB Wilhelm Meyer Lutz SSTB (Adds Variant 2) Philippe de Monte SSAATB (Adds Variant 1)

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina a 3 SSS a 5 SATTB Ivo de Vento SATB

Original text and translations

Latin text 4b  Illumina oculos meos, ne unquam obdormiam in morte, 5a  Ne quando dicat inimicus meus. Praevalui adversus eum. Variant 1 5b  Qui tribulant me exultabunt si motus fuero. 6  Ego autem in misericordia tua speravi, Exultavit cor meum in salutary tuo.   Cantabo Domino qui bona tribuit mihi et psallam nomini Domini altissimi. Variant 2 Dominus firmamentum meum, et refugium meum, et liberator meus, Deus meus, adjutor meus.

English translation 3b  Lighten mine eyes, that I sleep not in death. 4a  Lest my enemy say "I have prevailed against him." Variant 1 4b  for if I be cast down, they that trouble me will rejoice at it. 5  But my trust is in thy mercy : and my heart is joyful in thy salvation. 6  I will sing of the Lord, because he hath dealt so lovingly with me : yea, I will praise the Name of the Lord most highest. Variant 2