Blessed be the Lord my Rock

Abbie Betinis $1.00

GP - B004
SAB choir, opt. piano or organ

Abbie Betinis

Blessed Be the Lord, My Rock

for SAB choir and optional piano or organ
Text:

Blessed be the Lord, my rock and my fortress,

my stronghold, my deliverer,
my shield and he in whom I take refuge.

We are like breath,

our days are like a passing shadow.

Bow thy heav’ns, O Lord,

come down!
Stretch forth thy hand from on high,
rescue me, deliver me.

I will sing a new song to thee, O God.

Psalm 144

Program note:
“Blessed Be the Lord, My Rock” was written on September 12, 2001 in response to the tragedies the day before.
Like so many people living outside of the grief-stricken areas of New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania,
the composer felt afraid and helpless. All she could do immediately from her home in Minneapolis, Minnesota,
was to write a prayer for the victims and survivors of the disaster.

The piece was premiered in May 2003 by the Mixed Choir of White Bear Lake High School, Minnesota, under
director Marie Spar Dymit. A few days after its premiere, Abbie received the following note from a high school
singer: “I sang [Blessed Be the Lord, My Rock] with much strength and feeling because it is the type of song that
has a good message. I was very honored to be in the first group to perform it. The night that we performed it, I
saw tears in people’s eyes. That made me feel like I was passing the message along in the right way.”

The piece may be performed a cappella, or with piano or organ doubling the vocal lines.
 GP
-
B004 $1.00

Blessed
Be
the
Lord,
My
Rock
SAB
a
cappella,
or
with
piano/organ
doubling

Psalm 144 Abbie Betinis

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For perusal purposes only. Do not copy.

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Betinis Blessed
Be
the
Lord,
My
Rock GP
-
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6
Abbie Betinis
Reviewed as “dreamlike” and “audacious... edgy and thrilling,” the music of Abbie Betinis is being performed
increasingly in the United States and abroad. Her work has been commissioned by nearly 40 music organizations
including the American Suzuki Foundation, Cantus, Cornell University Chorus, Dale Warland Singers, The Rose
Ensemble, and the Young New Yorkers’ Chorus. Originally from Wisconsin, she studied composition at St. Olaf
College, the University of Minnesota, and the European American Musical Alliance in Paris, France.

In 2005, Betinis was named Composer-in-Residence for The Schubert Club in St. Paul, where her second song
cycle Nattsanger (Nightsongs) premiered in 2008. Her choral music is published by Augsburg Fortress, Kjos,
Santa Barbara Music Publishing, and in G. Schirmer’s Dale Warland Choral Series. Her art song scores are avail-
able through Graphite Publishing, and on her personal website at www.abbiebetinis.com.

Other sacred choral works from Graphite Publishing:

Paul Ayres GP - A002 So Hallow’d and so Gracious is the Time SATB, piano
Paul Ayres GP - A005 Jubilate SATB, organ
Abbie Betinis GP - B004 Blessed Be the Lord, My Rock SAB, piano, organ, or a cappella
Matthew Culloton GP - C001 Two Carols SATB, a cappella
Matthew Culloton GP - C002 Sussex Carol SATB, cello, harp
Edward Eicker GP - E001 Ave Maria SATB, a cappella
Edward Eicker GP - E002 Our Father SATB, a cappella
Frederick Frahm GP - F001 To See God SATB, T (or S) solo, organ
Frederick Frahm GP - F002 Light of the World Unison choir (or solo), organ
Jocelyn Hagen GP - H001 I Saw Three Ships SSAATTBB, a cappella
Jocelyn Hagen GP - H003 I Lift Up My Eyes (Psalm 121) SSATB, a cappella
Jocelyn Hagen GP - H004 O Come, O Come Emmanuel SATB, SATB soli, a cappella
Jocelyn Hagen GP - H009 Ave Maris Stella SSSSAA, a cappella
Wayland Rogers GP - R005 Rejoice and Be Joyful SATB, organ
Wayland Rogers GP - R006 Rise, Rise, My Soul SATB, organ
Wayland Rogers GP - R007 Whatsoever Things are True SATB, organ
Timothy C. Takach GP - T001 ‘Twas in the Moon of Wintertime SATB, a cappella
Timothy C. Takach GP - T002 A Sign of Day to Come SATB, a cappella
Timothy C. Takach GP - T004 Veni Creator Spiritus TTBB, a cappella

Graphite Publishing
Graphite Publishing is a music publishing company focused on presenting composers and their works to the music industry by offering score sales
online (via pdf documents). Graphite publishes music that is excellent, innovating and new, while at the same time is also accessible, likable and
grasped by the average audience member. The music published by Graphite includes quality compositions where excellence and accessibility meet. It
is unique yet emotional, it challenges the listener, and it is enjoyable to experience.

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