[1][2] The work was written on a commission from Serge Koussevitzky, director of the Tanglewood Festival.

Koussevitzky wanted a "fanfare" for voices to be performed at the opening exercises of the new Berkshire Music Center, and he asked Thompson to contribute such a piece.

Instead of the joyous work expected of him, the composer produced a quiet and introspective piece.

Thompson was inspired by the war in Europe, and the recent fall of France; given these events, he felt that to write a festive piece would be inappropriate.

The only other word in the text is "Amen", which is used once at the end, by the sopranos, tenors, and basses dividing.