Nisi Dominus is a setting of the Latin text of Psalm

Psalms

The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...

 127 (Vulgate 126) by George Friederic Handel. The name of the piece comes from the first two words (the incipit

Incipit

Incipit is a Latin word meaning "it begins". The incipit of a text, such as a poem, song, or book, is the first few words of its opening line. In music, it can also refer to the opening notes of a composition. Before the development of titles, texts were often referred to by their incipits...

) of the psalm, and it is catalogued in the composer's complete works as HWV 238. It was completed by 13 July 1707, and is one of a number of works he composed in Italy. It is most likely that Nisi Dominus was first performed on 16 July 1707 in the church of Santa Maria in Montesanto

Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto

Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria di Montesanto are two churches in Rome.They are located on the Piazza del Popolo, facing the northern gate of the Aurelian Walls, at the entrance of Via del Corso on the square...

, Rome, under the patronage of the Colonna family

Colonna family

The Colonna family is an Italian noble family; it was powerful in medieval and Renaissance Rome, supplying one Pope and many other Church and political leaders...

.

In the concluding doxology

Doxology

A doxology is a short hymn of praises to God in various Christian worship services, often added to the end of canticles, psalms, and hymns...

, Handel writes for eight voices in a double chorus and (uniquely in his output) a double string orchestra.

A typical performance lasts almost 12 minutes.

Movements

The work has the following movements

Movement (music)

A movement is a self-contained part of a musical composition or musical form. While individual or selected movements from a composition are sometimes performed separately, a performance of the complete work requires all the movements to be performed in succession...

:

Movement	Type and Voice	Text
1	Soloists and Chorus	Except the Lord build the house: their labour is but lost that build it Except the Lord keep the city: the watchman waketh but in vain.
2	Aria (Tenor solo)	It is but lost labour that ye haste to rise up early, and so late take rest, and eat the bread of carefulness.
3	Aria (Countertenor solo)	For so he giveth his beloved sleep. Lo, children and the fruit of the womb: are an heritage and gift that cometh of the Lord.
4	Aria (Bass solo)	Like as the arrows in the hand of the giant: even so are the young children.
5	Aria (Tenor solo)	Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.
6	Double Chorus	Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: As it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.

See also

• List of Latin church music by George Frideric Handel