Surge Illuminare

Surge, illuminare, Jerusalem, quia venit lumen tuum, 
et gloria Domini super te orta est. 
Quia ecce tenebræ operient terram, et caligo populos; 
super te autem orietur Dominus, 
et gloria ejus in te videbitur 

Surge, Illuminare', an unaccompanied motet by the contemporary English composer Andrew Simpson - sung by Southern Voices 





Today's first reading from the prophet Isaiah - here in the Authorised Version:

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord.