One of the blessings we have as God’s church is a song book originally given to Israel, then to us, in the form of the book of Psalms. My husband has been working on a playlist to collect a song for every Psalm, as close to the ESV translation as he can find, so he can mediate on the truth throughout the day. Inspired by this endeavour, this week will be dedicated to hymns and songs based on probably is the most famous Psalm – Psalm 23!

My favourite song based on Psalm 23 is “My Shepherd Will Supply My Need” written by Isaac Watts, who wrote many hymns based on the Psalms. I have included my favourite version, as well as a more traditional one, below.

My Shepherd will supply my need;
Jehovah is His Name;
In pastures fresh He makes me feed
Beside the living stream.
He brings my wand’ring spirit back
When I forsake His ways,
And leads me, for His mercy’s sake,
In paths of truth and grace.

When I walk through the shades of death,
Thy presence is my stay;
A word of Thy supporting breath
Drives all my fears away.
Thy hand, in sight of all my foes,
Doth still my table spread;
My cup with blessings overflows;
Thine oil anoints my head.

The sure provisions of my God
Attend me all my days;
O may Thy house be mine abode,
And all my work be praise!
There would I find a settled rest
While others go and come,
No more a stranger or a guest,
But like a child at home.

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Old 100th” or “Old Hundredth” (also known as “Old Hundred”) is a hymn tune in long metre, from the second edition of the Genevan Psalter. It is one of the best known melodies in many Christian musical traditions. The tune is usually attributed to the French composer Louis Bourgeois (c. 1510 – c. 1560). Although the tune was first associated with Psalm 134 in the Genevan Psalter, the melody receives its current name from an association with Psalm 100, in a translation by William Kethe entitled “All People that on Earth do Dwell”, who was in exile in Geneva at the time of writing, as the Scottish Reformation was only just beginning. The melody is also sung to various other lyrics, including the Doxology and various German Lutheran chorales¹. The version I have included below has an added words to the traditional.

All people that on earth do dwell
Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice
Him serve with fear, His praise forth tell
Come ye before Him and rejoice

The Lord, ye know, is God indeed
Without our aid, He did us make
We are His flock, He doth us feed
And for His sheep, He doth us take

Yahweh, into Your courts
We enter with thankful hearts
O faithful God, Your love endures

O enter, then, His gates with praise
Approach with joy His courts unto
Praise laud and bless His name always
For it is seemly so to do

For why the Lord, our God, is good
His mercy is forever sure
His truth, at all times, firmly stood
And shall from age to age endure

Yahweh, into Your courts
We enter with thankful hearts
O faithful God, Your love endures

For why the Lord, our God, is good
His mercy is forever sure
His truth, at all times, firmly stood
And shall from age to age endure

¹https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_100th

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This hymn is based on Psalm 63 and was written by James Montgomery, who lived 1771-1854. The song below was written by Gregory Wilbur, who is the Chief Musician at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church. Enjoy!

O God, thou art my God alone;
Early to thee my soul shall cry,
A pilgrim in a land unknown,
A thirsty land whose springs are dry.

Yet through this rough and thorny maze
I follow hard on thee, my God;
Thy hand unseen upholds my ways;
I safely tread where thou hast trod.

Thee in the watches of the night
When I remember on my bed,
Thy presence makes the darkness light;
Thy guardian wings are round my head.

Better than life itself, thy love,
Dearer than all beside to me,
For whom have I in heaven above,
Or what on earth, compared with thee?

Praise with my heart, my mind, my voice,
For all thy mercy I will give;
My soul shall still in God rejoice;
My tongue shall bless thee while I live.

This song written by Sandra McCracken features on her ‘Psalms‘ album. The song includes allusions to Psalm 126:1–3: “When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad.”, as well as Isaiah 25:6-9: “On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

Refrain
We will feast in the house of Zion,
We will sing with our hearts restored;
“He has done great things”, we will say together,
We will feast and weep no more.

We will not be burned by the fire,
He is the Lord our God.
We are not consumed by the flood,
Upheld, protected, gathered up.

Refrain

In the dark of night before the dawn,
My soul, be not afraid.
For the promised morning, oh how long?
Oh, God of Jacob, be my strength.

Refrain

Every vow we’ve broken and betrayed,
You are the faithful One.
And from the garden to the grave,
Bind us together, bring shalom.

Refrain

This rewording of Psalm 103 was written by James Montgomery. He was editor of the Sheffield Iris (1796-1827), a newspaper that sometimes espoused radical causes. Montgomery was imprisoned briefly when he printed a song that celebrated the fall of the Bastille and again when he described a riot in Sheffield that reflected unfavourably on a military commander. He also protested against slavery, the lot of boy chimney sweeps, and lotteries. Associated with Christians of various persuasions, Montgomery supported missions and the British Bible Society. He published eleven volumes of poetry, mainly his own, and at least four hundred hymns¹.

O my soul with all thy powers,
bless the Lord’s most holy name.
O my soul till life’s last hours,
bless the Lord, His praise proclaim.
Thine infirmities He healed,
He thy peace and pardon sealed.
O my soul! with all thy powers
Bless the Lord’s most holy name

He with loving-kindness crowned thee,
Satisfied thy mouth with good.
From the snares of death unbound thee,
Eagle-like thy youth renewed.
Rich in tender mercy He,
Slow to wrath, to favour free.
O my soul! with all thy powers
Bless the Lord’s most holy name.

Refrain
Bless the Lord, O my soul
Bless the Lord, O my soul
Bless the Lord, O my soul
Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul

He will not retain displeasure,
Though awhile He hide His face.
Nor His God-like bounty measure,
By our merit, but His grace.
As the heaven the earth transcends,
Over us His care extends.
O my soul! with all thy powers
Bless the Lord’s most holy name.

Far as east and west are parted,
He our sins hath severed thus.
As a father, loving-hearted,
Spares his son, He spareth us.
For He knows our feeble frame,
He remembers whence we came.
O my soul! with all thy powers
Bless the Lord’s most holy name

Refrain

From eternity enduring,
To eternity, the Lord.
Still His people’s bliss insuring,
Keeps His covenanted word
Yea, with truth and righteousness,
Children’s children He will bless.
O my soul! with all thy powers
Bless the Lord’s most holy name.

As in heaven, His throne and dwelling,
King on earth He holds His sway.
Angels, ye in strength excelling,
Bless the Lord, His voice obey.
All His works across the Earth,
Bless the Lord, proclaim His worth.
O my soul! with all thy powers
Bless the Lord’s most holy name.

Refrain

¹hymnary.org/person/Montgomery_James

When I found The Corner Room’s music ministry I was so excited – they manage to put ESV word for word scripture to music in a way that works! This is one of my favourites; sing and learn this with other brothers and sisters as you sing “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart”.

I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up
    and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
    and you have healed me.
O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
    you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
    and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger is but for a moment,
    and his favour is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
    but joy comes with the morning.

As for me, I said in my prosperity,
    “I shall never be moved.”
By your favour, O Lord,
    you made my mountain stand strong;
you hid your face;
    I was dismayed.

To you, O Lord, I cry,
    and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
“What profit is there in my death,
    if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
    Will it tell of your faithfulness?
Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me!
    O Lord, be my helper!”

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
    you have loosed my sackcloth
    and clothed me with gladness,
that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
    O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!