Ik sla mijn ogen op = I Lift Up My Eyes to the Mountains, 1967 - 1980

Developing Gelineau's verse-refrain technique, Huijbers introduces and concludes this psalm with an antiphon, from which two refrains peel off for the assembly. At the midpoint of each verse, the assembly sings the second refrain, and at the end, both refrains. To increase the role of the assembly, Huijbers integrates these refrains into the verses,acknowledging the dialogue nature of all songs of Covenant. The setting requires a psalmist (songleader), schola(choir), andassembly, following the Gelieneau trilogue model. Within Gelineau's categorizatrion, it is a psalm of uninterrupted pulse,a loop without a break. But contrary to Gelineau, Huijbers gives the text free rein, not to be boxed in by measure lines; syncopations allow the independent rhythm of the text to flow across measures against the steady pulse of the music. Gregorian motifs float throughout, the opening phrase of the Antiphon suggesting the Kyrie from the Missa de Angelis. Phrases rise and fall throughout, to mirror each other, evoking the undulating terrain of the pilgrims' journey to keep festival in the Temple. The music setting also expresses the literary form of the poem, which is a Song of Ascent,as explained in the commentary.