O My People (The Reproaches) - Lundy

This hymn is a simple setting of the traditional Good Friday text, The Reproaches (aka the Improperia),

It was written by English Roman Catholic religious brother, educator and youth-worker Damian Lundy (1944-1996).

The unnamed tune by Lundy has a time-signature of 2/2 and was in the key of C#m in the the original version with the first few notes being G B c c.

It is included in the 2009 edition of Catholic Hymns Old and New - purchasing this book is one way to get sheet-music for the song.   Another option is a setting by English composer Christopher Walker, published by OCP (link below).

Downloads

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Arrangement by Christopher Walker, published by OCP.

Examples

Choir with piano accompaniment

Electronic keyboard, sheet music on-screen

Instrumental - electronic organ

Lyrics

The lyrics are copyright so cannot be reproduced here. But they are currently available on this website (page 4).

The song starts with a two-line chorus, and this is repeated after each of the five verses. A rough outline is:

Chorus:
O my people, what have I done to you?
How have I hurt you? Answer me.

1 I led you out of Egypt.
... You have prepared a cross for me.

2 I led you as a shepherd;
... You have ...

3 I fought for you in battles,
.. You have ...

4 I planted you, my vineyard,
... Only the cross you made for me.

5 Then listen to my pleading
... For you I suffer bitterly.

See more ...

• Settings of the Reproaches
• Hymns for Good Friday

KEEP IN CASE ORIGINAL IS REMOVED, BUT DO NOT DISPLAY

Chorus:

O my people, what have I done to you?

How have I hurt you? Answer me.

1  I led you out of Egypt.

From slavery I set you free.

I brought you into a land of promise;

You have prepared a cross for me.

2  I led you as a shepherd;

I brought you safely through the sea;

Fed you manna in the desert;

You have prepared a cross for me.

3  I fought for you in battles,

I won you strength and victory;

Gave you a royal crown and sceptre;

You have prepared a cross for me.

4  I planted you, my vineyard,

And cared for you most tenderly;

Looked for abundant fruit and found none -

Only the cross you made for me.

5  Then listen to my pleading

And do not turn away from me.

You are my people: will you reject me?

For you I suffer bitterly.