May We Praise You

SAMPLE
May We Praise You
for Assembly, SATB Choir, Piano, and Guitar
Verse 1 based on Office prayer
Verses 2–4 John Foley, SJ
INTRO: Gentle and somewhat slow (
Piano
VERSE 1:
Soprano/Melody
= 76 )
rit.
unison a tempo
Alto
1. May we praise
Tenor
Bass
John Foley, SJ
you,
O
Lord,
with
unison a tempo
© 1981, John B. Foley, SJ and OCP Publications, 5536 NE Hassalo, Portland, OR 97213. All rights reserved.
5536 NE Hassalo Portland OR 97213
OCP Publications
1-800-548-8749
www.ocp.org
2
1. life
and hand
it self
Edition 9934-Z May We Praise You
and
voice.
SAMPLE
1. heart
is your
gift
to
And since
poco rit.
us,
then may
poco rit.
poco rit.
3
1. all
poco rit.
that we are
be
a tempo
poco rit.
a tempo
poco rit.
secco
VERSE 2:
yours.
a tempo
a tempo
a tempo
2. May our
liv
2. May our
liv ing be
rit.
be
ing
true,
true.
May
true.
May
true.
May
a tempo
rit.
2. May our
rit.
a tempo
SAMPLE
a tempo
liv
ing
be
a tempo
simile
May We Praise You
4
re turn
2. all re turn
2. all
2. life
May We Praise You
to
to
re turn
is done
you.
And when
you.
And when
you.
And when
SAMPLE
2. all
to
let our
pass
ing
poco rit.
be
like a
poco rit.
poco rit.
5
a tempo
in to light
a tempo
poco rit.
a tempo
poco rit.
VERSE 3:
a tempo
3. Let your step
rit.
of
a tempo
3. Let your step
rit.
a tempo
day.
a tempo
a tempo
our
guide
3. Let your step guide our
rit.
a tempo
SAMPLE
2. birth
,
poco rit.
guide
path,
our
path.
Let
path.
Let
path.
Let
May We Praise You
6
of dark
3. shades of dark
3. shades
of dark
Alto
of jus
Tenor Solo
3. May the sun
Tenor
Bass
3. sun
last.
not
Soprano/Melody
3. sun
not
of jus
SAMPLE
3. shades
not
tice re
of
tice re
turn
jus
turn
on
last.
May the
last.
May the
poco rit.
high,
poco rit.
tice re turn
on
and your
on
poco rit.
high.
poco rit.
May We Praise You
high.
7
Soprano
a tempo
poco rit.
a tempo
,
rit.
Alto
be our road
and
Tenor
Bass
a tempo
poco rit.
a tempo
poco rit.
VERSE 4:
unison
4. To the
guide.
SAMPLE
3. love
a tempo
rit.
a tempo
rit.
a tempo
Fa
ther
be
praise;
to
a tempo
a tempo
May We Praise You
8
4. God
May We Praise You
and Spir
the one
it,
praise.
SAMPLE
4. Son
let all
praise
be
Un to
poco rit.
done,
poco rit.
poco rit.
till the
9
4. dawn
poco rit.
of the last
a tempo
poco rit.
a tempo
poco rit.
a tempo
4. praise.
div.
a tempo
a tempo
a tempo
ing
rit.
day,
SAMPLE
a tempo
may we
a tempo
rit.
a tempo
rit.
molto rit.
molto rit.
molto rit.
May We Praise You
10
May We Praise You
(Guitar/ Vocal)
Verse 1 based on Office prayer
Verses 2– 4 John Foley, SJ
John Foley, SJ
INTRO: Gentle and somewhat slow (
(Am7)
Dm7
(D)
G
(Am7)
Dm7
(Gsus2)
Csus2
(Gsus2,4)
Csus2,4
a tempo
1.
2.
3.
4.
May we praise you,
May our liv ing
Let your step guide
To the Fa ther
(Gsus4)
Csus4
1. voice.
2. you.
3. last.
4. praise.
(Bm7)
Em7
a tempo
(G)
C
O
be
our
be
(D)
G
And since life
And when life
May the sun
Un to God
poco rit.
(G)
C
with
May
Let
to
(Am2)
Dm2
(D)
G
(D)
G
(Am7)
Dm7
rit.
heart
all
shades
Son
and
re
of
and
hand
turn
dark
Spir
and
to
not
it,
(Esus4)
Asus4
poco rit.
gift
to
pass ing
turn on
praise be
(Am7)
Dm7
(D)
G
(C)
F
(F)
B
(F11)
B 11
it self
is your
is done let our
of jus tice re
the one let all
a tempo
be
of
and
ing
(Am7)
Dm7
Lord,
true.
path.
praise;
1
(Am7)
Dm7
(Am7)
Dm7
1. all that we are
2. birth in to light
3. love be our road
4. dawn of the last
(D)
G
SAMPLE
Capo 5:
= 76 )
(D)
G
us,
be
high,
done,
then may
like a
and your
till the
(Am7)
Dm7
rit.
yours.
© 1981, John B. Foley, SJ and OCP Publications, 5536 NE Hassalo, Portland, OR 97213. All rights reserved.
(D)
G
D. S.
11
(D)
G
a tempo
rit. D. S.
2. day.
(D)
G
a tempo
(D)
G
(Am7)
Dm7
(D)
G
(Gsus4) (D)
Csus4
G
a tempo
a tempo
(D)
G
(Am7)
Dm7
(Am7)
Dm7
rit.
(D)
G
D. S.
3. guide.
Final
(Am7)
Dm7
3
(Am7)
Dm7
(Am7) (D)
Dm7
G
SAMPLE
2
(Am7)
Dm7
rit.
4. day,
(C)
F
(D)
G
(G)
C
molto rit.
Fine
may we praise.
Guitar Chord Charts
Gsus2
o o
Gsus4
ooo
Gsus2,4
oo
Am2
xo oo
F11
x
oo
Performance Notes
May We Praise You is a song of thanksgiving for life in all its moments. A quiet evensong with
many uses, it is ideal for Evening Prayer or Vespers, and can also find a place at Mass in Advent
and Lent as a closing hymn.
The intent is that this hymn be used primarily with assembly participation, but the easy choral
arrangement could be sung by choir alone at a meditative moment in the liturgy, where the
assembly’s participation would be an attentive and quiet listening. Those churches possessing a
piano will find it to be the more successful accompaniment in this piece.
Movement should be maintained and the piece should not bog down. Yet it should not be so fast
as to lose the meditative feel of the words. Please note carefully the ritardando and a tempo
markings.
—J.F.
May We Praise You
12
Assembly Edition
MAY WE PRAISE YOU
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
May we praise you,
May our liv
ing
Let your step guide
To the Fa ther
O
be
our
be
Lord, with
true. May
path. Let
praise; to
heart and
all
re
shades of
Son and
And since life it self is your gift to us,
And when life is done let our pass ing be
May the sun of jus tice re turn on high,
Un
to God the one let all praise be done,
1-3
1.
2.
3.
4.
SAMPLE
John Foley, SJ
are
light
road
last
be yours.
of
day.
and guide.
ing
to Verses
hand
turn
dark
Spir
and
to
not
it,
voice.
you.
last.
praise.
then may all that we
like a birth in to
and your love be our
till the dawn of the
Final
4. day,
may we praise.
Text: Verse 1 based on Office Prayer. Text and music © 1981, John B. Foley, SJ and OCP Publications,
5536 NE Hassalo, Portland, OR 97213. All rights reserved.
For reprint permissions, please visit LicenSingOnline.org or contact us at 1-800-452-9805.