Today’s song comes from Kenwood Baptist Church’s music ministry in Louisville, Kentucky USA. I love a well written song based on Psalm 23, and I’m sure you’ll love this one too; enjoy!

Christ our Shepherd, ever good and glorious 
giving to His flock good land to graze.
In His pasture we will want for nothing, 
near the waters He will keep us safe.
He restores us with His loving presence, 
goodness and mercy for all our days.
He delivers us from darkest places 
to the pasture of unending grace.

Christ our Shepherd will bind up the wounded, 
giving strength to all the weak and frail.
Straying sheep He has pursued and rescued,
He will hold us in his tender care.
We will feast within His house forever,
free from all harm of the enemy. 
We will drink the cup of life abundant 
in the pasture where He reigns as king.

Christ our Shepherd died to save His lost ones, 
laying down His life of His accord.
See our shepherd on the cross to claim us; 
we may live because His blood was poured.
Rising, He will lead to life eternal; 
our every sin, every grief He bears.
He has broken every bond that held us,
freed to live within His pasture fair.

Christ our Shepherd He will go before us, 
listen to His voice He knows your name.
Through the darkest valley He will bring us,
rod and staff to guide the narrow way.
We are His, oh what a joy to follow
till every tear He has wiped away.
Christ our Shepherd He will lead us homeward 
to the pasture of unending days.  

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Today is a rewrite of Psalm 103 to melody, written by Brit Matt Searles on his album “Psalms for Congregations, Vol 1”. He has written new songs to melodies that are familiar to congregations, this one being Come Thou Fount. This song is not on YouTube, but can be enjoyed on Spotify or Bandcamp (link below). I’m sure you’ll be blessed by this one, enjoy!

Bless the Lord, my inmost being
Lift up high his holy name
Bless the Lord, all that’s within me
Ponder all his deeds of grace
He forgives our great transgression
Heals and lifts us from the grave
Crowns our life with love and mercy
Satisfies us all our days

He brings justice for the needy
Makes them rise on eagle’s wings
He made known his ways to Moses
Shows to Israel his deeds
He is merciful and gracious
Slow to anger, rich in love
He will turn aside his anger
Shower blessings from above

For as high as highest heaven
Is the Lord’s unending love
Far as East is from the West, he
Has removed our sins from us
Like a Father to his children
He is merciful to us
Shows compassion in our weakness
He remembers we are dust

As for man, we bloom and flourish
Like a flower of the grass
Then we wither, then we perish
All our days so quickly pass
But God’s love for those who fear him
Will endure from age to age
For our children and their children
Those who walk in all his ways

He has set his throne in heaven
All his purpose to fulfil
Bless the Lord, O you his angels
You who do his sovereign will
Bless the Lord all you his servants
You who tremble at his word
Bless the Lord, all of creation
O my soul now bless the Lord  

https://mattsearles.bandcamp.com/track/psalm-103

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Today’s hymn comes from an unknown author, however the music is written by Gregory Wilbur and sung by Marisa Galdino. Greg has written lots of new songs for the church and I have enjoyed every one I’ve listened to; I’m sure you’ll enjoy this one too!

As pants the deer for streams of living water,
So longs my soul, O living God, for Thee;
I thirst for Thee, for Thee my heart is yearning;
When shall I come Thy gracious face to see?

O Lord my God, o’erwhelmed in deep affliction,
Far from Thy rest, to Thee I lift my soul;
Deep calls to deep and storms of trouble thunder,
While o’er my head the waves and billows roll.

Thou wilt command Thy servant’s consolation,
Thy loving-kindness yet shall cheer my day,
And in the night Thy song shall be my comfort;
God of my life, to Thee I still will pray.

Why, O my soul, art thou cast down within me,
Why art thou troubled and oppressed with grief?
Hope thou in God, the God of thy salvation,
Hope, and thy God will surely send relief.

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Today’s song is Psalm 16 from The Corner Room. If you have not listened to their music, you are really missing out! They put word for word ESV scripture to music. The songs are written very well musically, and do not sound clunky at all. They will help you more easily memorise lots of scripture. Enjoy this one!

Preserve me, O God, for in You, I take refuge
I say to the Lord, You are my Lord
I have no good apart from You

As for the saints in the land
They are the excellent ones
In whom is all my delight
The sorrows of those who run after
Another god shall multiply

Their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
Or take their names on my lips

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup
You hold my lot
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places
Indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance
Beautiful inheritance

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel
In the night also my heart instructs me
I have set the Lord always before me
Because He is at my right hand
I shall not be shaken

Therefore, my heart is glad
And my whole being rejoices
My flesh also dwells secure
For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol
Or let Your holy one see corruption

You make known to me the path of life
In Your presence there is fullness of joy
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore

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Today’s hymn is a rewording of Psalm 1. It’s by an unknown author, but I have found a modern retune, posted below. Enjoy reading this Psalm today!

Blest is he who loves God’s precepts,
Who from sin restrains his feet,
He who will not stand with sinners,
He who shuns the scorners’ seat.

Blest is he who makes the statutes
Of the Lord his chief delight,
In the law of God rejoicing,
Meditating day and night.

He is like a tree well planted
By the flowing river’s side,
Ever green of leaf and fruitful –
Thus shall all his works abide.

Like the driven chaff the wicked
Shall be swept from off the land;
With the just they shall not gather,
Nor shall in the judgement stand.

Well the Lord will guard the righteous,
For their way to Him is known;
But the way of evildoers 
Shall by Him be overthrown.

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Today’s words for this sung Psalm 146 comes from the 1872 Scottish Psalter that was adopted by the United Presbyterian Church in Scotland. Below is a sweet family singing the traditional tune as well as Indelible Grace’s retuned version; enjoy!

Hallelujah, praise Jehovah,
O my soul, Jehovah praise;
I will sing the glorious praises
Of my God through all my days.
Put no confidence in princes,
Nor for help on man depend;
He shall die, to dust returning,
And his purposes shall end.

Happy is the man that chooses
Israel’s God to be his aid;
He is blest whose hope of blessing 
On the Lord his God is stayed.
Heaven and earth the Lord created,
Seas and all that they contain;
He delivers from oppression, 
Righteousness He will maintain. 

Food He daily gives the hungry,
Sets the mourning prisoner free, 
Raises those bowed down with anguish,
Makes the sightless eyes to see, 
Well Jehovah loves the righteous,
And the stranger He befriends, 
Helps the fatherless and widow, 
Judgment on the wicked sends.

Hallelujah, praise Jehovah, 
O my soul, Jehovah praise;
I will sing the glorious praises
Of my God through all my days.
Over all God reigns forever, 
Through all ages He is King; 
Unto Him, thy God, O Zion, 
Joyful hallelujahs sing.

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Today’s hymn comes from New Scottish Hymns, a band based in Scotland, writing new hymns for the church. They explain “the great hymnwriters of the past used poetry to express a living, breathing theology that revealed a deep love for God, His church, and the good news about Jesus Christ.  We want to follow in their footsteps and produce new hymns and worship songs for God’s people”. I’m sure you’ll enjoy this one!

Were I to cross from land to land
And sail afar by sea
Descend the depths or climb the heights
My Lord remains with me

Before the blood ran in these veins
The days ordained for me
Were written in Your book O Lord
Before I came to be

I grieve to hear Your enemies
Speak hatred, Lord, of You
Long though they scheme with ill-intent
Their days are numbered too

How precious are Your thoughts to me
How countless, Lord, they are
More than the shores have grains of sand
More than the skies have stars

Come search and test this heart O Lord,
Dispel each anxious thought
And lead me onward evermore
To tread the path I ought

How blessed I am, so bound with love
Surrounded, yet so free
In doubt or blessing, life or death
My Lord remains with me

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Today’s hymn comes from Charles Spurgeon, published in his ‘Our Own Hymn Book’, a collection of Psalms and hymns he complied for his own congregation. If anyone has a recording of this, please do send through! In the meantime, enjoy reading this one.

Behold, O LORD, my days are made
A handbreadth at the most;
‘Ere yet ’tis noon my flow’r must fade,
And I give up the ghost.

Then teach me, Lord, to know mine end,
And know that I am frail;
To heav’n let all my thoughts ascend,
nd let not earth prevail.

What is there here that I should wait,
My hope’s in Thee alone;
When wilt Thou open glory’s gate
And call me to Thy throne?

A stranger in this land am I,
A sojourner with Thee;
Oh be not silent at my cry,
But show Thyself to me.

Though I’m exiled from glory’s land,
Yet not from glory’s King;
My God is ever near at hand,
And therefore I will sing.

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Over the last couple of days I have been meditating on Psalm 145 and so wanted to share it today, especially since the Psalms was Israel’s songbook. Do you have a song version of Psalm 145 you like? I’d love to hear your suggestions!

I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. 
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. 
On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. 
They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. 
They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 
The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.
All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD, and all your saints shall bless you!
They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power,
to make known to the children of man yourmighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations.[The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.]
The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. 
You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. 
The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. 
The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. 
He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. 
The LORD preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

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Today’s hymn comes from Isaac Watts (1674-1748). This hymn is a paraphrase of Psalm 146 and it was originally called “Praise to God for his Goodness and Truth”. It was published in his collection Psalms of David, Imitated in the Language of the New Testament (1719)¹. This hymn was also adapted by Charles Wesley which helped preserve it to this day. I hope above all today you can give praise to your Maker; enjoy!

I’ll praise my Maker while I’ve breath;
And when my voice is lost in death,
Praise shall employ my nobler powers.
My days of praise shall ne’er be past
While life, and thought, and being last,
Or immortality endures.

How happy they whose hopes rely
On Israel’s God who made the sky,
And earth and seas with all their train;
Whose truth for ever stands secure,
Who saves the oppressed and feeds the poor,
And none shall find God’s promise vain.

The Lord pours eyesight on the blind;
The Lord supports the fainting mind
And send the laboring sonscience peace.
God helps the stranger in distress,
The widowed and the parentless,
And grants the prisoner sweet release.

I’ll praise my Maker while I’ve breath;
And when my voice is lost in death,
Praise shall employ my nobler powers.
My days of praise shall ne’er be past
While life and thought and being last,
Or immortality endures.

₁umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-watts-praise-my-maker-among-wesleys-favorites

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