This work is the third piece of the Spiritual Songs, a group of eight partsongs for mixed chorus on poems from George Herbert’s collection The Temple. They may be sung as a complete set, in selected groupings of two, three, or four songs, or singly. The music is designed chiefly for choirs of 20 to 40 members, but it can also be sung by small madrigal-size groups as well as larger choral ensembles.
The poem by George Herbert, a classic sonnet in form, is a progression of 26 metaphors about prayer. The images begin with theological descriptions, then move to more personal ones.