PART I
| Introduction: As God The Lord Elijah As God the Lord of Israel liveth, before whom I stand: There shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
Overture 1. Chorus: Help, Lord! The People Help, Lord! Wilt Thou quite destroy us! The harvest now is over, the summer days are gone, and yet no power cometh to help us! Will then the Lord be no more God in Zion? The deeps afford no water! And the rivers are exhausted! The suckling’s tongue now cleaveth for thirst to his mouth! The infant children ask for bread! And there is no one breaketh it to feed them 2. Duet with Chorus: Lord, Bow thine ear The People Lord, bow Thine ear to our prayer Two Women Zion spreadeth her hands for aid, and there is neither help nor comfort. 3. Recitative: Ye people, rend your hearts Obadiah Ye people, rend your hearts and not your garments for your transgressions: the prophet Elijah hath sealed the heavens through the word of God. I therefore say to ye: forsake your idols, return to God; for He is slow to anger, and merciful, and kind, and gracious, and repenteth Him of the evil. 4 Aria: If with all your hearts Obadiah ‘If with all your hearts ye truly seek Me, ye shall ever surely find Me.’ Thus saith our God. Oh! that I knew where I might find Him, that I might even come before His presence! 5. Chorus: Yet doth the Lord The People Yet doth the Lord see it not, He mocketh at us; His curse hath fallen down upon us, His wrath will pursue us till He destroy us. For He, the Lord our God, He is a jealous God, and He visiteth all the fathers’ sins on the children to the third and the fourth generation of them that hate Him. His mercies on thousands fall, on all them that love him and keep his commandments. 6. Recitative: Elijah, get thee hence An Angel Elijah! Get thee hence, Elijah! Depart and turn thee eastward: thither hide thee by Cherith’s brook. There shalt thou drink its waters; and the Lord thy God hath commanded the ravens to feed thee there: so do according unto His word. . No. 7 ~ Double Quartet & Recitative Angels An Angel No. 8 ~ Recitative, Aria & Duet The Widow
Elijah The Widow Elijah The Widow Elijah The Widow Elijah The Widow Elijah Both No. 9 ~ Chorus: Blessed are the men People 8. Recitative & Chorus: As God the Lord Elijah As God the Lord of Sabaoth liveth, before whom I stand, three years this day fulfilled, I will shew myself unto Ahab; and the Lord will then send rain again upon the earth. Ahab Art thou Elijah! Art thou he that troubleth Israel! The People Thou art Elijah, thou he that troubleth Israel! Elijah I never troubled Israel’s peace: it is thou, Ahab, and all thy father’s house Ye have forsaken God’s commands, and thou hast follow’d Baalim. Now send, and gather . to me the whole of Israel unto Mount Carmel; there summon the prophets of Baal, and also the prophets of Baal, and also the prophets of the groves who are house feasted at Jezebel’s table. Then we shall see whose God is the Lord. The People And then we shall see whose God is the Lord. Elijah Rise then, ye priests of Baal; select and slay a bullock, and put no fire under it; uplift your voices and call the god ye worship; and the god who by fire shall answer, let him be God. The People Yea, and the God who by fire shall answer, let him be God. Elijah Call first upon your god, your numbers are many. I, even I only, remain one prophet of the Lord. Invoke your forest gods, and mountain deities. 9. Chorus: Baal, we cry to thee Prophets of Baal Baal, we cry to thee, hear and answer us! Heed the sacrifice we offer! Hear us, Baal! Hear, mighty god! Baal, oh answer us! Baal, let thy flames fall and vanquish the foe! 10. Recitative & Chorus: Call him louder Elijah Call him louder, for he is a god! He talketh, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey; or, peradventure, he sleepeth: so awaken him! Call him louder, call him louder! Prophets of Baal Hear our cry, o Baal, now arise! Wherefore slumber? 11. Recitative & Chorus: Call him louder Elijah Call him louder! He heareth not. With knives and lancets cut yourselves after your manner. Leap upon the altar ye have made, call him and prophesy! Not a voice will answer you: none will listen, none heed you. Prophets of Baal Baal! Baal! Hear and answer, Baal! Mark how the scorner derideth us! Elijah Draw near, all ye people, come to me! 12. Aria: Draw near, all ye people Elijah Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, this day let it be known that Thou art God, and that I am Thy servant! Lord God of Abraham! Oh shew to all this people that I have done these things according to Thy word. Oh hear me, Lord, and answer me! Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, oh hear me and answer me, and shew this people that Thou art Lord God. And let their hearts again be turned! 13. Quartet: Cast thy Burden Angels Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee. He never will suffer the righteous to fall: He is at thy right hand. Thy mercy, Lord, is great, and far above the heavens. Let none be made ashamed, that wait upon Thee! 14. Recitative & Chorus: O Thou, who makest/The Fire Descends Elijah O Thou, who makest Thine angels spirits; Thou, whose ministers are flaming fires: let them now descend! The People The fire descends from heaven! The flames consume his offering! Before Him upon your faces fall! The Lord is God, the Lord is God! O Israel hear! Our God is one Lord, and we will have no other gods before the Lord. Elijah Take all the prophets of Baal, and let not one of them escape you. Bring them down to Kishon’s brook, and there let them be slain. The People Take all the prophets of Baal and let not one of them escape us: bring all and slay them! 15. Aria: Is not His word like a fire! Elijah Is not His word like a fire, and like a hammer that breaketh the rock into pieces! For God is angry with the wicked every day. And if the wicked turn not, the Lord will whet His sword; and He hath bent His bow, and made it ready. 16. Recitative: O man of God 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. 16A. Recitative & Chorus: O Lord, Thou hast overthrown Thine enemies 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! The People 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! The Child 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 away from their sins when Thou dost afflict them: then hear from heaven, and forgive the sin. Help, send Thy servant help, o God! The People Then hear from heaven, and forgive the sin. Help, send Thy servant help, o God! Elijah Go up again, and still look towards the sea. The Child There is nothing. The earth is as iron under me Elijah Hearest thou no sound of rain! Seest thou nothing arise from the deep! The Child 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. The Child 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! The People Thanks be to God for all His mercies. Elijah Thanks be to God! For He is gracious; and His mercy endureth for evermore! 17. Chorus: Thanks be to God! The People Thanks be to God! He quencheth 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. PART II 18. Aria: Hear ye, Israel Soprano Hear ye, Israel, hear what the Lord speaketh:’Oh, hadst thou heeded my commandments’Who hath believed our report! To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed! Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and His Holy One to him oppressed by tyrants, thus saith the Lord: ‘I am He that comforteth. Be not afraid, for I am thy God! I will strengthen thee! Say, who art thou, that thou art afraid of a man that shall die; and forgettest the Lord thy Maker, who hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the earth’s foundations? Say, who art thou!’ 19. Be Not Afaid ‘Be not afraid,’ saith God the Lord,’be not afraid, thy help is near!’ God, the Lord, thy God, saith unto thee:’Be not afraid!’ Though thousands languish and fall beside thee, and tens of thousands around thee perish, yet still it shall not come nigh thee. 16A. Recitative & Chorus: O Lord, Thou hast overthrown Thine enemies 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! The People 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! The Child 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 away from their sins when Thou dost afflict them: then hear from heaven, and forgive the sin. Help, send Thy servant help, o God! The People Then hear from heaven, and forgive the sin. Help, send Thy servant help, o God! Elijah Go up again, and still look towards the sea. The Child There is nothing. The earth is as iron under me Elijah Hearest thou no sound of rain! Seest thou nothing arise from the deep! The Child 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. The Child 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! The People Thanks be to God for all His mercies. Elijah Thanks be to God! For He is gracious; and His mercy endureth for evermore! 17. Chorus: Thanks be to God! The People Thanks be to God! He quencheth 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. PART II 18. Aria: Hear ye, Israel Soprano Hear ye, Israel, hear what the Lord speaketh:’Oh, hadst thou heeded my commandments’Who hath believed our report! To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed! Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and His Holy One to him oppressed by tyrants, thus saith the Lord: ‘I am He that comforteth. Be not afraid, for I am thy God! I will strengthen thee! Say, who art thou, that thou art afraid of a man that shall die; and forgettest the Lord thy Maker, who hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the earth’s foundations? Say, who art thou!’ 19. Be Not Afaid ‘Be not afraid,’ saith God the Lord,’be not afraid, thy help is near!’ God, the Lord, thy God, saith unto thee:’Be not afraid!’ Though thousands languish and fall beside thee, and tens of thousands around thee perish, yet still it shall not come nigh thee. 20. Duet:: Man of God Obadiah Man of God, now let my words be precious in thy sight. Thus saith Jezebel;’Elijah is worthy to die’. So the mighty gather against thee, and they have prepared a net for thy steps; that they may seize thee, that they say slay thee. Arise then, and hasten for thy life; to the wilderness journey. The Lord thy God doth go with thee: He will not fail thee, He will not forsake thee. Now begone and bless me also! Elijah Though stricken, they have not grieved. Tarry here my servant: the Lord be with thee. I journey hence to the wilderness. 21. Aria: It is enough Elijah It is enough! O Lord, now take away my life, for I am not better than my fathers! I desire to live no longer: now let me die, for my days are but vanity. I have been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts, for the children of Israel have broken Thy covenant, and thrown down Thine altars, and slain all Thy prophets, slain them with the sword. And I, even I only am left: and they seek my life to take it away! It is enough! O Lord, now take away my life, for I am not better than my fathers! Now let me die, Lord, take away my life! 22. Aria: See, now he sleepeth Tenor See, now he sleepeth beneath a juniper tree in the wilderness, but the angels of the Lord encamp round about all them that fear Him. 23. Trio: Lift thine eyes Angels Lift thine eyes to the mountains, whence cometh help. Thy help cometh from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He hath said, thy foot shall not be moved, thy Keeper will never slumber. 24. Chorus: He watching over Israel Chorus He, watching over Israel, slumbers not, nor sleeps. Shouldst thou, walking in grief, languish, He will quicken thee. 25. Aria: O Rest in the Lord An Angel Oh rest in the Lord, wait patiently for Him, and He shall give thee thy heart’s desires. Commit thy way unto Him, and trust in Him, and fret not thyself because of evil-doers. 26. Chorus: He that shall endure Chorus He that shall endure to the end, shall be saved. 27. Recitative: Night falleth around me Elijah Night falleth round me, o Lord! Be Thou not far from me! Hide not Thy face, o Lord, from me, my soul is thirsting for Thee, as a thirsty land. An Angel Arise now, get thee without, stand on the mount before the Lord: for there His glory will appear, and shine on thee! Thy face must be veiled, for He draweth near. 28. Chorus: Behold God the Lord Chorus Behold, God the Lord passed by! And a mighty wind rent the mountains around, brake in pieces the rocks, brake them before the Lord. But yet the Lord was not in the tempest. Behold, God the Lord passed by! And the sea was upheaved, and the earth was shaken. But yet the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there came a fire. But yet the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there came a still small voice. And in that still voice onward came the Lord. 29. Recitative & Chorus: Holy is God Above Him stood the Seraphim, and one cried to another: Seraphim Holy, holy, holy is God the Lord, the Lord Sabaoth! Now His glory hath filled all the earth. 30. Chorus & Recitative: Go, return upon thy way/ I go on my way Chorus Go, return upon thy way! For the Lord yet hath left Him seven thousand in Israel, knees which have not bowed to Baal. Go, return upon thy way! Thus the Lord commandeth. Elijah I go on my way in the strength of the Lord For Thou art my Lord; and I will suffer for Thy sake. My heart is therefore glad, my glory rejoiceth; and my flesh shall also rest in hope. 31. Arioso: For the mountains Elijah For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but Thy kindness shall not depart from me; neither shall the covenant of Thy peace be removed. 32. Chorus: Then did Elijah Chorus Then did Elijah the prophet break forth like a fire; his words appeared like burning torches. Mighty kings by him were overthrown. He stood on the mount of Sinai and heard the judgments of the future, and in Horeb its vengeance. And when the Lord would take him away to heaven, lo! There came a fiery chariot with fiery horses, and he went by a whirlwind to heaven. 33. Aria: Then Shall the Righteous Tenor Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in their heavenly Father’s realm. Joy on their head shall be for everlasting, and all sorrow and mourning shall flee away for ever. 34. Chorus: And Then Shall Your Light Chorus And then shall your light break forth as the light of morning breaketh: and your health shall speedily spring forth then: and the glory of the Lord ever shall reward you. Lord, our Creator. how excellent Thy Name is in all the nations! Thou fillest heaven with Thy glory. Amen. |