This is one of two sacred Latin Motets written by Purcell. There can't have been a great demand for them in Purcell's Restoration England, but it has been hypothesized that this was written for Catherine of Modena's Roman Catholic choir. This is quite an individual setting, with an exciting mixture of English polyphony and Italianate solo writing for tenor and bass voice.

The opening verse line is given a full, rich setting; the basses begin profoundly on the name "Jehova." The tenor solo, "At tu, Jehova" is very Italianate with the word "extollens" repeated rhthmically to displace the beat. The full choir answers with "Voce mea ad Jehovam" imitatively. "Ego cubui et dormivi" is quiet and mysterious, with all the voices moving together softly as the psalmist sleeps. "Quia Jehova" is set to a long, flowing sustained line as the Lord sustains the psalmist. The low voices enter first and are followed by the high and finally wind together.

An organ chord opens the florid declamatory bass solo "Non timebo". "Surge, surge" becomes a lively triple time arioso section, but Purcell switches back to a declamatory style on "Qui percussisti" as he breaks the teeth of the ungodly and smites their cheeks. The final chorus is rhythmically imitative, lively, and triumphant.

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