Samuel the priest gave up the ghost
Language: English
Samuel the priest gave up the ghost, And all Israel mournèd. Have pity on me, O ye my friends, For the hand of God hath touchèd me. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, And mine acquaintance into darkness. I am weary with my groaning all the night, Make I my bed to swim, I water my couch with my tears. My soul cleaveth unto the dust, My soul melteth for heaviness. Naked came I out of my mother's womb, And naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord taketh away. And blessed be the name of the Lord!
W. Billings sets stanzas 1, 2, 3, 2, 4, 2, 5, 2, 6
Note: the text is made up of Biblical excerpts as follows:
Stanza 1: 1 Samuel 2:1
Stanza 2: Job 19:21
Stanza 3: Psalm 88:18
Stanza 4: Psalm 6:6
Stanza 5: Psalm 119:25
Stanza 6: Job 1:21
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by William Billings (1746 - 1800), "Samuel the priest gave up the ghost", stanzas 1,2,3,2,4,2,5,2,6 [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Ross Klatte
This text was added to the website: 2026-03-28
Line count: 15
Word count: 103