Non nobis…
“Non nobis…” is the opening verse of Psalm 115 in the King James version of the Bible (1611). The words are:
Non nobis Domine Domine
Sed nomine, sed nomine
Tuo do gloriam
Not to us Lord, not to us
But to thy name
Let the glory be given.
It is a prayer of thanksgiving for some great achievement which avoids the sin of pride by ascribing the credit to God. The phrase begins ‘Non nobis Domine, sed nomini tuo da gloriam’. It was .used, as the psalmist no doubt intended, as a corrective to human self-sufficiency.
The musical setting is majestic and seems medieval. However, it was composed by Patrick Doyle for the film of King Henry V in 1989, a Kenneth Branagh production. Here is an extended version from the film.
