Category: FAWM 2022

Update: This song is now available at gregscheer.com.

I first collaborated with Linda Bonney Olin in February of this year. Our setting of Psalm 8, “How Often in the Deep of Night” was part of my 2022 Psalm Collaboration project. I’m now coming back to some other texts she sent in February. Among them was “My Heart Is Sick.”

The song title certainly catches one’s attention. Though the title doesn’t sound as inspiring as, say, “Like a River Glorious,” there are plenty of times when our hearts are sick and we don’t feel glorious at all. The Psalmist is certainly experiencing one of those times in Psalm 102. The Psalm vacillates between utter despair (“I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears”) to hope in God’s unchanging love and ability to save.

As I began working with the text, I could hear waves of dissonance that mirrored the heart-sickness and longing of the Psalm. Indeed, many notes of this melody are dissonant against their accompanying chords. What keeps all this dissonance from descending into chaos is an undulating stepwise motive that is woven throughout the song. It’s surprisingly singable.

Of course, there’s no lily I’m unwilling to gild! As I wrote the piano part, I began to imagine what the song might sound like with an accompaniment of low strings instead. I finally gave in and wrote one. The score calls for a cello quartet, but I’m sure I could be convinced to re-score it for string orchestra if you asked nicely. On this demo, though, it is played by a quartet of basses played by yours truly. For those of you who are having a hard time imagining a quartet of low strings accompanying this Psalm, a demo of the piano accompaniment is below.

The tune is named DESERT OWL after the lonely nocturnal bird in verse 2.

1. My heart is sick, my body weak.
I’m starved to skin and bones.
My mouth, too full of dust to speak,
can utter only groans.
O God, my God, see my distress
and heed my wretched prayer,
for I am poor and powerless
without your gracious care.

2. As lonesome as a desert owl,
I lie awake, in tears.
Around me adversaries prowl,
with curses, taunts, and jeers.
And you, the God I have adored,
in anger shun me too.
Restore me to your presence, Lord,
to walk once more with you!

3. Our days on earth so swiftly pass,
like waves on restless seas.
We fade away like withered grass,
like smoke upon the breeze.
But you, O God, will always be,
eternally the same.
All generations, hear and see!
All people, praise God’s name!

Update: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.

Collaborator Naaman Wood was in the middle of grading midterms and wasn’t able to get me a final version of Psalm 9/10 until February 27–the day before my FAWM deadline. While taking a walk that evening I began singing some ideas for a melody into my phone. Seven phone recordings later, I had the song mostly fleshed out. I sat down at the piano the next morning and finalized the song, wrote a piano accompaniment, and finished the recording 24 hours after seeing the text. Oh, the nail-biting life of a composer!

Though the verse melody is fairly straightforward, there are lots of harmonic twists and turns in the harmonies underneath it. This feels to me a lot like life: we may put on a good front, but there may be knots in our stomach and a prayer of anguish in our heads.

And thus ends my FAWM 2022 song project: 12 Psalm songs, based on 13 Psalms, with 16 total songs for the month. I’m tired. I will sleep during March.

1. The Lord is near to those who carry sorrow–
a shelter during troubled times.
He will remember all their cries and longings,
and will not give their hope away.

Rise up, rise up, rise up, O Lord!
Rise up, rise up, rise up, O Lord!

2. Where is our hope? How can we bear this sorrow?
Why do you hide in troubled times?
Have you forgotten to hear our cries and longings?
O, do not turn your face away! (Chorus)

3. On me, O Lord, O Son of God have mercy.
See how I suffer from wicked schemes.
They drag me down and devour me like lions.
I lay upon the gates of death. (Chorus)

Update: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.

Psalm 62 famously begins with the words, “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.” The Psalmist goes on to describe the many difficulties experienced in life–those who are attacking or extorting money–always coming back to the refrain, “My soul finds rest in God alone.” Scottish lyricist, Doug Gay, has given these words an introspective feel in his setting of the Psalm. They could almost be sung by a victim of abuse, crying to God for help. That’s the thing about the Psalms: they give words to things we may have not experienced, which may make us feel like we don’t need them–until we do.

I kept the introspective, plaintive mood with music that is simple and child-like. I especially like how the chorus and verses slide into each other–there is no traditional cadence, but common tones in the melody make it feel completely natural.

Only God can save us now.
We wait in silence here.
For only God can keep us safe
on days we shake with fear.

1. I’m battered, broken, beaten down
and ready to give way.
So tired of all their shameless lies;
No trust in what they say. (Chorus)

2. We trust in God to set us free
from all our guilt and shame.
To God our refuge and our rock
we bring our hurt and pain. (Chorus)

3. The God who is both power and love
is judge of all the earth.
Don’t trust in what will pass away;
don’t sell your soul for wealth. (Chorus)

Only God can save us now.
We wait in silence here.

Update: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.

It is always a pleasure to work with a text by T.L. (Tammy) Moody. She has a knack for finding fresh ways to express herself, or in this case, express a Psalm: “Our faith is not strung on our bows,” “fear, do not our garment be,” “for your sweet mercy’s sake” are all vivid phrases expressing the anguished cry for help of the original Psalm: “Awake, O Lord!”

I tried something different on this song. Since the text is full of unresolved questions, distress, and fear, I begin the song away from the home key and on a melody note that doesn’t exactly fit. This gives the music an unsettled feel that matches the text. In fact, the music doesn’t resolve until the chorus–and even then it’s evasive.

1. For we have heard, Lord, with our ears,
the ancient stories told;
how you once crushed fierce enemies
and saved us from our foes.

God, why have you now cast us off
to wander in this place,
where dragons wing in darkening skies
and bitter nights await?

With your right hand, come swiftly, Lord,
and lift us from our shame.
Then will we boast not in our might,
but ever praise your name.

2. As sheep, we are now led away
unto the slaught’ring floor.
Confused we fall before you, God,
confounded to our core.

Our faith is not strung on our bows,
nor trust we in our swords;
your name alone our only hope,
our King, our conquering Lord. (Chorus)

3. Awake! Why do you sleep, O Lord?
Come quickly to our aid!
O, fear, do not our garment be,
nor death our parched soul’s shade.

Come rub the sleep out of your eyes
and in your power, wake.
Arise, O Lord, and be our help
for your sweet mercy’s sake. (Chorus)

Update: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.

Psalm 77 is an interesting case study in lament. It begins like many lament Psalms: “I cried out to God for help.” It wistfully remembers the good old days, then asks the pivotal question of the Psalm: “Will the Lord reject us forever?” After a series of complaint questions, the Psalm turns again to remembering the good old days, but this time as a form of consolation: “I will remember the deeds of the Lord…the miracles…I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.” The Psalm ends by recalling how God parted the Red Sea so the Israelites could walk through on dry ground.

Lyricist Travis Ham, with whom I collaborated on this song, took the Psalm’s remembering one step further by recalling Christ’s work on the cross. Because Christ suffered for us, died, and was resurrected, we can endure our hardships, questions, and doubts.

I sometimes have reservations about “christianizing” Psalms, but Travis has done a skillful job of extending the Psalm’s message to include all God’s people singing it in 2022.

1. We lift our voices to the Lord
in these troubled days,
through these weary nights.
Though rest evades our fainting hearts,
when we cannot speak,
still, he hears our sighs:

Will the Lord reject us forever?
Has rage replaced his grace?
Has the Rock of Ages changed?

We will remember your wonders and your deeds,
how your mighty hand of power has set your people free.
And still you’re moving, and still you will redeem.
So we praise you, God so faithful, we praise you.

2. Your Spirit moved across the sea:
water bowed its head,
thunder roared in fright.
And then your hand moved once again
and the waves pulled back,
freedom’s path was dry!

For your care will last forever
and your power never fades–
you are always strong to save. (Chorus)

3. You lifted Christ upon the cross,
but that darkest day
has become our light.
His path from death to life is ours
and we walk by faith
until hope is sight.

Yes, your love endures forever
and your grace will never fade.
Faithful God, You never change. (Chorus)

Update: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.

When I host songwriting workshops, I often advise writers to choose a hymn they like, write new music for the text, then write a new text for the new tune. Voila! An entirely new song! This is a great way of priming the songwriting pump.

I followed my own advice on this song. I found Isaac Watts’ setting of Psalm 7, “My Trust Is in My Heav’nly Friend” at hymnary.org. It is a good text, but I couldn’t see myself singing “Tho’ leagu’d in guile their malice spread, / A snare before my way: / Their mischiefs on their impious head, / His vengeance shall repay.” So I set to work re-tuning and re-texting his hymn.

It must be said that Psalm 7 is not an easy sell. It is, as Watts described it, about “God’s care of his people and punishment of persecutors.” The Psalmist makes some pretty explicit suggestions about how God might bring vengeance on enemies. But it is also full of vivid language like “save me or they will tear me like a lion” and “he who is pregnant with evil and conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment.” So, while this is unlikely to be my big hit, I think my Psalm 7 song does a good job of letting the text speak. Or as I like to say: This is not the best song you’ve ever heard, but it’s probably the best Psalm 7 song you’ve ever heard.

1. My only hope is in the Lord;
I refuge in my God.
God save me from those hunting me
like lions seeking blood.

If I had brought this on myself
I would not call your name,
but I’ve done nothing to deserve
their anger or my shame.

Arise! Arise! Arise, O Lord!
Arise! Arise! Arise, O Lord!

2. Arise, O Lord, and stay their hand
or I will be undone;
for only you can judge the heart
and keep me safe from harm.

My strong defender is my God;
my Savior is the Lord
who judges every human heart
and wields a righteous sword.

Arise! Arise! Arise, O Lord!
Arise! Arise! Arise, O Lord!

3. Their ripened rage gives birth to wind,
for God has changed their plans.
They find themselves ensnared in traps
that they themselves have set.

But I give thanks to my good God,
whose righteousness prevails.
I sing the praises of my Lord,
whose love will never fail.

Arise! Arise! Arise, O Lord!
Arise! Arise! Arise, O Lord!