Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy’s (1809-1847) Symphony No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 52 is also known as Hymn of Praise (Lobegesang in German.)  Mendelssohn composed the symphony in 1840 and described it as “A Symphony-Cantata on Words of the Holy Bible, for Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra.”  It is a large work, with a complete performance of the symphony lasting well over an hour.

I Waited for the Lord is one of the movements of this symphony.  It is scored for two soloists and chorus, with the text derived from Psalm 40:

I waited for the Lord, God inclined unto me, God heard my complaint. O blessed are they that hope and trust in the Lord.

The Chancel Choir will be singing this movement at the offertory on Sunday, January 19, with Anqwenique Wingfield and Carly Noel Black as soloists.  You can listen/watch to a YouTube clip of this anthem as sung by the choir of Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church in Cincinnati, OH: