This Advent season, I’m running a series of the text (libretto) to Messiah by George Frederic Handel. You’ll find below the biblical text (King James Version, of course) used in Part 2, whose theme is “The accomplishment of redemption by the sacrifice of Christ, mankind’s rejection of God’s offer, and mankind’s utter defeat when trying to oppose the power of the Almighty”, broken up by musical section according to the 1959 Novello edition. The link after each passage will take you to the appropriate location in a video of a live performance at the Sydney Opera House. Each of these passages is well worth the time to carefully read through and listen/watch, but if you’re short on time, the sections from Isaiah 53:6, Psalm 22:7, Psalm 22:8, Psalm 24:7-10, Psalm 2:1-2, and Revelation 19 and 11 are particular favorites.
“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” – John 1:29 – 1:08:11
“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” – Isaiah 53:3
“I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.” – Isaiah 50:6 – 1:11:15
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him;…” – Isaiah 53:4-5 – 1:20:04
“…and with his stripes we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:5 – 1:21:06
“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” – Isaiah 53:6 – 1:22:56
“All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,” – Psalm 22:7 – 1:26:23
“He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.” – Psalm 22:8 – 1:27:00
“Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.” – Psalm 69:20 – 1:29:05
“Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.” – Lamentations 1:12 – 1:30:51
“He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.” – Isaiah 53:8 – 1:32:09
“For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” – Psalm 16:10 – 1:32:21
“Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.” – Psalm 24:7-10 – 1:34:16
“For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?” – Hebrews 1:5 – 1:37:14
“And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.” – Hebrews 1:6 – 1:37:28
“Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.” – Psalm 68:18 – 1:38:56
“The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.” – Psalm 68:11 – 1:42:42
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” – Isaiah 52:7
“And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” – Romans 10:15 – 1:43:45
“But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.” – Romans 10:18
“Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun…” – Psalm 19:4 – 1:47:08
“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying,” – Psalm 2:1-2 – 1:48:24
“Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.” – Psalm 2:3 – 1:51:16
“He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.” – Psalm 2:4 – 1:52:51
“Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” – Psalm 2:9 – 1:53:02
“And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth……And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” – Revelation 19:6,16
“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” – Revelation 11:15 – 1:54:51