"Psalm of David" by Swami Kriyananda - Christ Lives - An Illustrated Oratorio
An illustrated oratorio, Christ Lives is a contemporary Oratorio that vividly brings to life the deep meaning of Christ's life. The photography and music by Swami Kriyananda, is sung by the Ananda World Brotherhood Choir.
Composed after Swami Kriyananda visited the Holy Land in 1983, Christ Lives brilliantly captures the profoundly inspiring and uplifting experience of Christ’s presence there. In 2008, Swami Kriyananda and the World Brotherhood performed in San Jose, California.
This is Swami’s introduction: “I wrote this Oratorio after a visit to Israel, which we in the West call the Holy Land. I meditated. It’s very different Oratorio from any other you might find. I meditated in the various scared places. I felt the presence of Christ there, and I prayed to Him and He gave me these melodies. You can take that as you will, but to me it’s a reality. The melodies express the vibration of His presence which I felt there. It was a very holy visit for me. I hope you will feel His presence.”
As music alone can do, the Oratorio reaches the soul with both the message and spirit of Christ's life, and his call to all seekers to awaken the Divine within.
Lyrics:
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,
From whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the Lord,
Who made the heavens and the earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved:
He that keepeth thee will not slumber.
Behold, He that keepeth Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is thy keeper:
The Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
The sun shall not smite thee by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil:
He shall preserve thy soul.
The Lord shall preserve thy going out
And thy coming in from this time forth—
And even forevermore.
