Litany of the Holy Name, in Music

The following is the text of the Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus with a suggested choral anthem for each invocation. This is not offered as a program in and of itself (it would be unduly long), but as a way for a music director to meditate on the appellations of Christ, perhaps deriving music to fit various liturgical themes from such a spiritual exercise, using music as it fits the great liturgical cycles.

The Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

• Kyrie eleison from Missa secunda (Hans Leo Hassler)

Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

• Miserere (Gregorio Allegri)

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

• Have Mercy upon Me, O God (William Byrd)
   

Jesus, hear us. Jesus, hear us.

• Hear My Prayer, O Lord (Camil van Hulse)

Jesus, graciously hear us. Jesus, graciously hear us.

• Hear the Voice and Prayer of Thy Servants (Thomas Tallis)
   

God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.

• O Lord, from Heaven Look Below (Michael Prætorius)

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

• O Savior of the World (John Goss)

God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

• Veni Creator Spiritus (Gregorian chant)

Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

• Te Deum laudamus (Calvert Shenk)
   

Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us.

• Blessed Be the Lord (Gary Penkala)

Jesus, splendor of the Father, have mercy on us.

• O Splendor of God's Glory Bright (John Reese)

Jesus, brightness of eternal light, have mercy on us.

• Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light (J.S. Bach)

Jesus, King of glory, have mercy on us.

• O Jesus, King of Glory (J.S. Bach)

Jesus, Sun of justice, have mercy on us.

• Jesus, Sun of Life, My Splendor (G.F. Handel)

Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary, have mercy on us.

• When Christ Was Born of Mary Free (J. William Greene)

Jesus, most amiable, have mercy on us.

• Complete Thy Work, O Lord (Calvert Shenk)

Jesus, most admirable, have mercy on us.

• O Jesus, King Most Wonderful (Christopher Tye)

Jesus, the mighty God, have mercy on us.

• The Lord Is a Mighty God (Felix Mendelssohn)

Jesus, Father of the world to come, have mercy on us.

• O esca viatorum (Heinrich Isaac)

Jesus, Angel of great counsel, have mercy on us.

• Let Nothing Ever Grieve Thee (Johannes Brahms)

Jesus, most powerful, have mercy on us.

• Blessed Be the Lord (Eugene Englert)

Jesus, most patient, have mercy on us.

• He Watching Over Israel (Felix Mendelssohn)

Jesus, most obedient, have mercy on us.

• If Ye Love Me (Thomas Tallis)

Jesus meek and humble of heart, have mercy on us.

• Come unto Me (L. Stanley Glarum)

Jesus, lover of chastity, have mercy on us.

• The Earth Is the Lord's (Paul Langston)

Jesus, lover of us, have mercy on us.

• Ubi caritas (Gregorian chant)

Jesus, God of peace, have mercy on us.

• Dona nobis pacem from Mass in b minor (J.S. Bach)

Jesus, author of life, have mercy on us.

• Anima Christi (Calvert Shenk)

Jesus, example of virtues, have mercy on us.

• Lead Me, Lord (Samuel Wesley)

Jesus, zealous lover of souls, have mercy on us.

• Remember Your Love for Me, O Lord (Eugene Englert)

Jesus, our God, have mercy on us.

• Thou Alone Art God (Leland Sateran)

Jesus, our refuge, have mercy on us.

• Thou Lord, Our Refuge (Felix Mendelssohn)

Jesus, father of the poor, have mercy on us.

• Like As a Father (Luigi Cherubini)

Jesus, treasure of the faithful, have mercy on us.

• O sacrum convivium (Eugene Englert)

Jesus, good shepherd, have mercy on us.

• The Loyal Sheep (Michael Dudis)

Jesus, true light, have mercy on us.

• Lumen Christi (Richard J. Clark)

Jesus, eternal wisdom, have mercy on us.

• O Grant Me Wisdom (Gary Penkala)

Jesus, infinite goodness, have mercy on us.

• Sicut cervus (Palestrina / Angelini)

Jesus, our way and our life, have mercy on us.

• May Christ Be Our Life (Gary Penkala)

Jesus, joy of angels, have mercy on us.

• Come with Hearts and Voices Sounding (J.S. Bach / Scott)

Jesus, king of patriarchs, have mercy on us.

• Exsultate justi in Domino (Ludovico da Viadana)

Jesus, master of the apostles, have mercy on us.

• Simon, Son of John (Michael Starke)

Jesus, teacher of the evangelists, have mercy on us.

• Teach Me Now, O Lord (Marcello / Grotenhuis)

Jesus, strength of martyrs, have mercy on us.

• He That Shall Endure to the End (Felix Mendelssohn)

Jesus, light of the confessors, have mercy on us.

• Prayer of Saint Francis (Gary Penkala)

Jesus, purity of virgins, have mercy on us.

• Create in Me, O God (Johannes Brahms)

Jesus, crown of all saints, have mercy on us.

• Os justi (Anton Bruckner)
   

Be merciful unto us. Jesus, spare us.

• From All That Dwell (Colin Brumby)

Be merciful unto us. Jesus, hear us.

• Before You, Lord (Paul Langston)
   

From every evil, Jesus deliver us.

• Turn Back, O Man (Gustav Holst)

From every sin, Jesus deliver us.

• Preserve Me, O Lord (Benedetto Marcello)

From your wrath, Jesus deliver us.

• Judge Eternal (Malcolm Archer)

From the snares of the devil, Jesus deliver us.

• Creator alme siderum (Rev. Thomas Buffer)

From the spirit of uncleanness, Jesus deliver us.

• Wash Me, O Lord God (G.B. Pergolesi)

From everlasting death, Jesus deliver us.

• Salvator mundi (Tallis / Kenney)

From the neglect of your inspirations, Jesus deliver us.

• O Lord, Increase My Faith (Orlando Gibbons)
   

Through the mystery of your Holy Incarnation, Jesus deliver us.

• Ave Maria (Victoria / Angelini)

Through your Nativity, Jesus deliver us.

• O magnum mysterium (Tomas Luis de Victoria)

Through your infancy, Jesus deliver us.

• In nomine Jesu (Jacob Handl)

Through your most divine life, Jesus deliver us.

• Jesus, Name of Wondrous Love (Everett Titcomb)

Through your labors, Jesus deliver us.

• Venite ad me (Orlando di Lasso)

Through your agony and passion, Jesus deliver us.

• The Reproaches (Gary Penkala)

Through your Cross and dereliction, Jesus deliver us.

• Seven Last Words of Christ (Gary Penkala)

Through your sufferings, Jesus deliver us.

• Caligaverunt oculi mei (Victoria / Angelini)

Through your death and burial, Jesus deliver us.

• O Sorrow Deep! (David Hurd)

Through your Resurrection, Jesus deliver us.

• Hæc dies (Jacob Handl)

Through your Ascension, Jesus deliver us.

• I Will Not Leave You Comfortless (Everett Titcomb)

Through your institution of the Most Holy Eucharist, Jesus deliver us.

• Pange lingua gloriosi (Gregorian chant)

Through your joys, Jesus deliver us.

• O Sing Joyfully (Adrian Batten)

Through your glory, Jesus deliver us.

• The Heavens Are Telling from The Creation (F.J. Haydn)
   

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.

• Agnus Dei from Coronation Mass (W.A. Mozart)

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.

• Lamb of God (Adrian Batten)

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

• Behold the Lamb of God from Messiah (G.F. Handel)
   

Jesus, hear us. Jesus, graciously hear us.

• Hear My Prayer, O Lord (Arkhangelsky)

Let us pray. O Lord Christ, who said: "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you;" grant, we beseech you, to us who ask the gift of your most divine love, that we may love you with our whole heart, in all our words and deeds, and may never cease from praising you. Make us, O Lord, to have a perpetual fear and love of your Holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you bring up in your steadfast fear and love: who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.