“I was glad” (Latin incipit, “Laetatus sum”) is a choral introit and which is a popular piece in the musical repertoire of the Anglican church. It is traditionally sung in the Church of England as an anthem at the Coronation of the British monarch.
The text of the anthem consists of verses from Psalm 122, from the psalter found in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer:
I was glad when they said unto me : We will go into the house of the Lord.
Our feet shall stand in thy gates : O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is built as a city : that is at unity in itself.
For thither the tribes go up, even the tribes of the Lord : to testify unto Israel, to give thanks unto the Name of the Lord.
For there is the seat of judgement : even the seat of the house of David.
O pray for the peace of Jerusalem : they shall prosper that love thee.
Peace be within thy walls : and plenteousness within thy palaces.
For my brethren and companions’ sakes : I will wish thee prosperity.
Yea, because of the house of the Lord our God : I will seek to do thee good.
Most of the content of the psalm is a prayer for the peace and prosperity of Jerusalem, and its use in the coronation service clearly draws a parallel between Jerusalem and the United Kingdom, as William Blake had in his poem “And did those feet in ancient time” (“Jerusalem”) (which Parry set to music in 1916).
The above from Wikipedia see the full entry here.
A message for our times?
If you want to see the score and hear it sung you can do so here on YouTube
If you found yourself singing along and would like to do so in a choir come along to a rehearsal – 7.30pm, Amesbury Methodist Church.