this album was originally conceived as a score for performance on the 1905 lewis organ at glasgow university but was never realised.
in the light of the recent refugee crisis my interest in the psalms has shifted from themes of exile and cultural estrangement towards echoing the unimaginable suffering of these refugees.
this is the worst crisis since the end of world war two and we must not turn away from those who need our help.
i do not intend to raise money from this release or tell you where to give or how to give your time; i ask you to look on those in pain and see others like yourself, like those you love.
the selection ends with a setting of the first words of psalm 130. i leave you with wyatt's translation of that psalm:
FROM depth of sin, and from a deep despair,
From depth of death, from depth of heart’s sorrow,
From this deep cave, of darkness deep repair,
Thee have I called, O Lord, to be my borrow.
Thou in my voice, O Lord, perceive and hear
My heart, my hope, my plaint, my overthrow,
My will to rise: and let by grant appear,
That to my voice thine ears do well attend;
No place so far, that to Thee is not near;
No depth so deep, that thou ne mayst extend
Thine ear thereto; hear then my woful plaint:
For, Lord, if thou observe what men offend,
And put thy native mercy in restraint;
If just exaction demand recompense;
Who may endure, O Lord? who shall not faint
At such accompt? so dread, not reverence
Should reign at large. But thou seekest rather love
For in thy hand is Mercy’s residence;
By hope whereof Thou dost our hearts eke move.
I in the Lord have set my confidence:
My soul such trust doth evermore approve:
Thy holy word of eterne excellence,
Thy mercy’s promise, that is alway just,
Have been my stay, my pillar, and defence.
My soul in God hath more desirous trust,
Than hath the watchman looking for the day,
For his relief, to quench of sleep the thrust.
Let Israel trust unto the Lord alway;
For grace and favour are his property:
Plenteous ransom shall come with him, I say,
And shall redeem all our iniquity.
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