Mendelssohn "Elijah" -- 19. Recitative and Chorus; 20. Chorus

[Obadiah] -- O man of God, help thy people! Among the idols of the Gentiles, Are there any that can command the rain, or cause the heavens to give their showers? The Lord our God alone can do these things.

[Elijah] -- O Lord, Thou hast overthrown Thine enemies and destroyed them. Look down on us from heaven, O Lord; regard the distress of Thy people. Open the heavens and send us relief! Help, help Thy servant now, O God!

[Chorus] -- Open the heavens and send us relief: Help, help Thy servant now, O God!

[Elijah] -- Go up now, child, and look toward the sea. Hath my prayer been heard by the Lord?

[Youth] -- There is nothing. The heavens are as brass, they are as brass above me.

[Elijah] -- When the heavens are closed up, because they have sinned against Thee: Yet if they pray and confess Thy name, and turn from their sin when Thou dost afflict them: Then hear from heaven, and forgive the sin. Help, send Thy servant help, O God!

[Chorus] -- Then hear from heaven, and forgive the sin. Help, send Thy servant help, O God!

[Elijah] -- Go up again, and still look toward the sea.

[Youth] -- There is nothing. The earth is as iron under me.

[Elijah] -- Hearest thou no sound of rain? Seest thou nothing arise from the deep?

[Youth] -- No; there is nothing.

[Elijah] -- Have respect to the prayer of Thy servant, O Lord, my God! Unto Thee will I cry, Lord, my rock, be not silent to me! And Thy great mercies remember, Lord!

[Youth] -- Behold, a little cloud ariseth now from the waters: it is like a man's hand! The heavens are black with cloud and with wind: The storm rusheth louder and louder!

[Chorus] -- Thanks be to God for all His mercies!

[Elijah] -- Thanks be to God! For He is gracious; and His mercy endureth for evermore!

[Chorus] -- Thanks be to God! He laveth the thirsty land. The waters gather, they rush along! They are lifting their voices! The stormy billows are high, their fury is mighty. But the Lord is above them and Almighty.

Medelssohn's Oratorio "Elijah" performed by Tainan YMCA Choir and Chiyi Culture Choir on Novermber 26, 2006 at Tainan City Culture Center; Conducted by Ms. Li-Ying Shang.

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Music