Psalms

Showing 73–84 of 107 results

  • Psalm 33: A Symphony of Praise

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    [embed]http://musicblog.gregscheer.com/psalm_033-a_symphony_of_praise.mp3[/embed]

    Psalm 33 is a songwriter’s dream: it commands us to sing a new song, mentions a variety of instruments, and admonishes us to play skillfully. This bright, joyous song helps us do just that while also allowing us to follow the Psalmist into themes of creation, judgment, power, and trust.

    This leadsheet is a free download. If you sing this song in your church please report its use to CCLI or OneLicense.

  • Psalm 37: An Antiphonal Acrostic

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    [audio mp3="https://gregscheer.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/psalm_37_demo-complete.mp3"][/audio]

    Psalm 37 is an acrostic Psalm with 22 sections built on each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This musical setting follows that pattern, with 22 connected “songlets.” The last four measures of each songlet can be sung in counterpoint to the first four measures of the next songlet, creating a 22-link musical chain. It sounds complicated and esoteric; just take a listen to the MP3 demo and everything will make sense!

    This leadsheet is a free download. If you sing this song in your church please report its use to CCLI or OneLicense. Download includes side-by-side Scripture and lyrics.

  • Psalm 4: I Rest in You

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    [embed]http://musicblog.gregscheer.com/psalm_004-i_rest_in_you.mp3[/embed]

    Psalm 4 is the lament of someone whose honor has been impugned. You can hear the theme of shame and honor recurring throughout. Ultimately, though, the Psalmist chooses to rest in the Lord. It reminds me of what Richard Foster says in The Celebration of Discipline—I believe in the section on silence—about not speaking in defense of yourself, but simply allowing your reputation to stand on its own. This lack of control is frightening, especially when your name is at stake, but ultimately we can’t control what others think of us. In this song, the lyrics and music turn the Psalm from an indignant defense (“Break their teeth, O Lord”) into a quiet prayer in the night. 

  • Psalm 40: Patiently

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    [embed]http://musicblog.gregscheer.com/wp-content/uploads/patiently_COS.mp3[/embed]

    This meditative rendering of Psalm 40 won the 2017 Church of the Servant New Psalm Contest. You can read the whole story below.

  • Psalm 44: For Your Mercy’s Sake

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    https://musicblog.gregscheer.com/wp-content/uploads/psalm_44-for_your_mercys_sake.mp3

    Lyricist T.L. (Tammy) Moody has a knack for finding fresh ways to express herself, or in this case express Psalm 44’s anguished cry for help of the original Psalm: “Awake, O Lord!” The Psalm is full of unresolved questions; similarly, the song’s harmonies remain unsettled throughout.

    This hymn is a free download. If you sing this song in your church please report its use to CCLI or OneLicense.

  • Psalm 46: O Lord of All, You Are Our Home

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    [embed]http://musicblog.gregscheer.com/psalm_046-o_lord_of_all.mp3[/embed]

    Psalm 46 offers comfort and hope in times of trouble. It doesn’t promise that we won’t experience hardship, but that God will be with us in those times.

    In Martin Luther’s famous setting of Psalm 46, “A Mighty Fortress,” he focused on themes of strength and battle. In my setting, I highlight the Psalm’s images of God as a refuge–God’s stable presence among us in a chaotic world–concluding each verse with an affirmation of hope: “The Lord of all is with us.”

  • Psalm 46: The Lord of All Is with Us

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    [embed]http://musicblog.gregscheer.com/psalm_046-the_lord_of_all.mp3[/embed]

    This song is something of an homage to the Reformation. It is based on the same Psalm as Luther’s great “A Mighty Fortress” and can, in fact, be sung to that hymn’s tune. My tune uses a mixed meter like many Lutheran and Reformed tunes. The 2+2+3+3 pulse makes the hymn more challenging than most. If you’re up for the challenge, use a hand drum to keep the beat steady. If you’re not up to the challenge, try my song “O Lord of All, You Are Our Home,” which uses the same text set to a simpler tune.

  • Psalm 48: A City on a Hill

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    [embed]https://musicblog.gregscheer.com/a_city_on_a_hill.mp3[/embed]

    Mount Zion has a special significance to the author of Psalm 48 because it is the location of the holy city Jerusalem, the palaces of Israel’s king, and the temple of Yahweh. Just as God dwelled in Zion for the Israelites, the Church of Christ should be “a city on a hill”–a holy place that is set apart for God that allows the light of the Spirit to shine. Or as Jesus says in Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.”

  • Psalm 5: Hear My Words, O Lord

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    [embed]http://musicblog.gregscheer.com/Ps005-hear_my_words.mp3[/embed]

    My setting of Psalm 5, “Hear My Words, O God” is composed for two narrators and congregational refrain.  It appears as Psalm 5C in the Psalms for All Seasons hymnal, but if you want the un-squished piano music and choral parts you hear on this recording you’ll only find it here. The above recording is just a rough read-through by the Choral Scholars which doesn’t include the scripture reading. The narration allows the whole Psalm to be heard and allows the multiple voices of the original text to come through, as you can hear from the live worship recording below.

    [embed]http://musicblog.gregscheer.com/psalm_5_hear_my_words.mp3[/embed]
  • Psalm 52: Why Do You Boast?

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    [embed]https://musicblog.gregscheer.com/psalm_52-violin.mp3[/embed]

    If Casey Kasem were to do a count down of the Psalms, Psalm 52 would not be in the Top 40. But underneath Psalm 52’s prickly exterior lies a heart of gold: Though you can get ahead using deceit, treachery, and lies, in the end, our riches will provide no refuge in the face of death. So, the Psalmist says, it is better to live a life of trust in God’s steadfast love.

    This hymn is a free download. If you sing this song in your church please report its use to CCLI or OneLicense.

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    Psalm 53: Fools Deny Their God within Them

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    [audio mp3="https://gregscheer.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/psalm_053-carlill-fools_deny.mp3"][/audio]

    Adam Carlill’s metrical rendering of Psalm 53, from his excellent Psalms for the Common Era, retains the Psalm’s difficult themes but uses language that allows us to enter into them more easily. My tune accompanies the text with a Baroque-flavor that is off the beaten path, but still accessible, with a simple melody surrounded by harmonies and a bass line that scurry to and fro with all the fury of Psalm 53’s evildoers. The final half verse shifts to a major key, letting the accusations and anger of the previous verses give way to a final note of hope.

    Sheet music for voice and piano.

  • Psalm 54: Save Me, O God

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    https://musicblog.gregscheer.com/wp-content/uploads/gay-psalm_54-save_me_o_god.mp3

    Doug Gay wrote this hymn trext on Psalm 54, a prayer for salvation from enemies. Indeed, life is full of people who get a thrill out of bringing others down a few notches: “Arrogant foes are attacking me; ruthless people are trying to kill me–people without regard for God.” The music echoes this urgent, yet confident prayer–vulnerable, but strong.

Showing 73–84 of 107 results