The Divine Image

SATB and Piano

From the first time I read this text, I immediately fell in love with it. The language in the poem is nearly 300 years old, but the message is eternal. The text itself is simple in structure; four words permeate the entire poem and serve as the central message: mercy, pity, peace and love. Through those four sentiments, Blake tells us where the goodness in human nature lies—our compassion—and for me, he paints a picture of Love as a beautiful woman clothed in peace, with pity on her face, and mercy in her heart.

During the months that I was writing The Divine Image, I had been listening to a lot of Brahms (his part songs in particular), so you might hear some glimpses of him every now and then.  Aside from the piano introduction (deliberately reminiscent of Die Mainacht), the gentle chromaticism and eventual optimism in the music were simply natural extensions of the beauty inherent in the poetry. 

The Divine Image was commissioned by the Praise Choir of the Lutheran Church of Hope as a gift for their amazing director Mike Horstmann.  It is dedicated with love to my parents, Alan and Susan.

The Text

By William Blake (1757-1827)

To Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love
All pray in their distress;
And to these virtues of delight
Return their thankfulness.

For Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love
Is God, our father dear,
And Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love
Is Man, his child and care.

For Mercy has a human heart,
Pity a human face,
And Love, the human form divine,
And Peace, the human dress.

Then every man, of every clime,
That prays in his distress,
Prays to the human form divine,
Love, Mercy, Pity, Peace.

And all must love the human form,
In heathen, Turk, or Jew;
Where Mercy, Love, and Pity dwell
There God is dwelling too.