Category: Psalms

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Church Congregational Songs Demos Jazz Psalms

Psalm 28: My God, the Rock (tune: SANDY)

I asked Kate Bluett if she would be willing to write a new Psalm text on one of the Psalms I haven’t yet set to music. She came through with skill and style!

Psalm 28 is a three-part prayer. It begins with a plea to help the righteous, continues by contrasting the fate of the wicked, and ends with preemptive praise to the God who saves. Kate follows this structure in her beautiful rendition of the Psalm. Notice how she teases out the image of God the Rock, as opposed to the stony silence of a god who doesn’t hear people’s prayers.

I actually wrote four tunes for Kate’s text as I tried to imagine how to bring the song to life. I quickly threw out two of them, but I simply couldn’t decide between the other two. The first (this one) is a jazzy melody that never quite comes to rest in relation to the chords. This gives the song a mournful, prayerful character that brings out the pathos of Kate’s text. The other tune (wait for a separate blog post) is more rustic and forceful, which gives the song confidence in the midst of a trial.

1. My God, the Rock on which I stand,
I cry to you in need.
My refuge, see me lift my hands:
Do not be deaf to me!
Not silent as the stony ground,
unmoving when I cry:
Into the pit I shall go down
if stone-like you stand by.

2. Do not cast me away, O Lord,
with those whose tongues are sharp,
who speak of peace and long for war
within their hardened hearts.
Give them instead what they deserve,
and tear their evil down.
Let them and all their wicked works
lie scattered on the ground!

3. But you, O God, are stone and strength;
our refuge never fails.
You bear us up the breadth and length
of all our days and cares.
Blest be the Lord who heard my cry:
my strength, my shield, my Rock.
Oh, let my song rise up on high
to praise the might of God!

Categories
Art Music Psalms

Psalm 119: Gimel

A quick refresher: Psalm 119 is the longest Psalm, an acrostic poem with 22 sections, one for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This third movement is “Gimel.” As with the previous two movements, the music is all about transformation. Sometimes you turn a corner and suddenly a new vista opens before you; other times the transformation takes place slowly, like a sunrise.

All of this was recorded by me, “in the box.” That is, anything that isn’t my voice, guitar, bass, or the upright piano 8th notes is a sample from Logic Pro. I would have loved to record two classical violin soloists, a jazz/fusion pianist, a ton of percussion, and strings in the studio, but alas… “Done,” as they say, “is the new great.” Even with so many digitized parts, I hope you can hear a little spark of what I was hearing in my head.

ג Gimel

Reward your servant
that I may live to treasure your Word.
Open my eyes
that I may gaze upon the wonders of your law.

I am a stranger on this earth.
Oh, do not conceal your commands from me!
I am consumed—
consumed with longing for your law.

You scorn the scornful—
those who disregard your way.
Remove the disgrace of the arrogant
for I have followed your path.

Though a council of the mighty speaks against me,
your servant will dwell upon your Word.
Your words are my delight.
Your law is my counsel.

Categories
Art Music Psalms

Psalm 119: Beth

Continuing our series from Psalm 119, here is Beth. Beth is not only a woman’s name and the title of a ballad by Kiss; it is also the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In this second section of Psalm 119 the Psalmist continues an acrostic meditation on God’s law.

Musically, this is my favorite of the three movements. There is just a lot of interesting stuff going on, with twists and turns throughout. You wouldn’t think that rock, slinky funk, choral, classical piano, the Chinese erhu, and minimalism could hang together coherently in the same 11-minute musical frame, but somehow they do.

All the tracks were recorded by me in my home studio using Logic Pro.

ב Beth

How can the young remain on the path of the pure?
By walking in the way of your Word.

With all my heart I seek you. 
Let me not wander from your way.
Within my heart, I treasure your Word.
Let me not sin against you.

Blessed are you, my Lord.
Oh, that I would learn your law.

I recount with my lips
all the words of your mouth.
I rejoice in the way 
of your Word more than wealth.

I meditate upon your precepts
and gaze upon your paths.
I will delight in your law.
I will not neglect your Word.

Categories
Art Music Psalms

Psalm 119: Aleph

For the last three years, I have been quietly chipping away at a composition of behemoth proportions. It is now time to release it. And I mean “release” in two senses of the word: Over the next few days, I will release the recordings of the first three movements; I will also release the project in the sense that I need to let it go so I can turn my attention to other music that is waiting to be written.

Here is how I described the project in its early stages:

Psalm 119—often called “The Great Psalm”—is the longest Psalm, an acrostic poem on God’s law, with one eight-line verse for each of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. 

For setting Psalm 119 to music, I’ve decided on a different path than I’ve used with previous Psalm settings. This will not be congregational or choral; instead, it will be a recorded meditation weaving words and music together in a mesmerizing, ever-transforming musical mosaic. Each of the 22 sections will be a 5–10-minute musical movement that will be both independent and interlocking with the movements around it. 

What will the music sound like? Imagine Mike Oldfield, J.S. Bach, and Steve Reich collaborating while on retreat at a monastery, composing music to be performed by the Penguin Café Orchestra, Pinback, and Polyphonic Spree and sung by Taizé, the Bulgarian Women’s Choir, and Keur Moussa. Like that. 

I am writing my own translation of Psalm 119 that attempts to honor the original text while remaining accessible to modern ears. My version is unmetered and unrhymed, but with a latent inner rhythm. 

Here is the first movement, Aleph. Most of the tracks were recorded by me in my home studio; additional tracks were recorded at Local Legend Recording with the help of these musicians:

  • Clara Becksvoort (9 years old)
  • Men’s Trio: Chris Snyder, Paul Ryan, Jordan Clegg
  • Theo Janga Ndawillie, drums
  • Josh Kaufman, guitar and mixing

א Aleph

Blessed are those whose way is pure,
who walk in the Word of the LORD.
Blessed are those who keep God’s will
and seek the LORD with all their heart—
who do no wrong,
for they follow God’s way.

You have established your Word
to be followed wholeheartedly.

Oh, that my path would be built on your Word;
then will the whole of your law bring no shame.

I will praise you with a pure heart,
for I learn from your righteousness.
I will walk in the Word of the LORD.
O God, do not leave me alone.

Categories
Church Congregational Songs Demos Psalms

Psalm 21: The Coronation of the King

This is the Psalm that almost ended my relationship with the Psalms.

I mean, I’ve made songs out of some pretty difficult Psalms, but this one almost did me in. No, it didn’t have hateful imprecations. (I’m looking at you, 137:9!) It didn’t have laundry lists of historical events. (It’s okay 105, that stuff is important.) Psalm 21 was just…uninspiring. (Am I allowed to say that?)

The Psalm is composed of two broad sections. The first establishes that the king was anointed by God and relies on God for strength and victory. This is no small thing in a theocracy–the fortunes of the people are tied to the fortunes of the king. The second section basically says, “God will kill all our enemies.”

For months, I studied the Psalm and wondered how I could recast this for today. It finally occurred to me that the Psalm could be understood through a Christological lense. In Psalm 21, a great king is celebrated. In Israel’s context, the first great king is David and the final king will be the Messiah. Things began to fall into place. Christ is the King of kings who sits at God’s right hand and has all authority on heaven and earth. Read this way, the felling of foes in the original Psalm can be understood as Jesus enduring the crucifixion and claiming the final victory in the resurrection.

This theme of crowning Jesus and celebrating his victory makes this song appropriate for Christ the King or Ascension Sunday.

1. The coronation of the King
in matchless majesty
resounds throughout the earth and heaven,
and spreads from sea to sea.

The One who reveled in God’s strength
and waited on God’s grace
has now been crowned the King of kings,
a never-ending reign.

2. This King has known his people’s pain,
the rage of enemies.
Though humbled for a time, he rose
to claim the victory.

Your people sing to you, our King,
exalted in God’s might.
For now you reign eternally,
enthroned with God on high.

Those who trust in God Almighty
find a love that is unfailing.

Categories
Church Congregational Songs Psalms

Psalm 136: The Gracious Love of God Will Never End

Sorry I haven’t been posting regularly lately. Sometimes the music business gets in the way of the music itself…

I’m back with a new Psalm. This draft has been in my idea folder since 2020 when I read that Psalm 136 was something of an addendum to the Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120-134). You’ll remember that I set all 14 of those Psalms to music in my Pilgrim Psalms project. At the time I jotted down some ideas for the song, put it in my idea folder, and promptly forgot about it. But this week I stumbled across it and decided it was time to complete it.

You’ll remember that Psalm 136 is a long Psalm with the repeated refrain, “His love endures forever.” That suggested to me a call-and-response style song, with a leader singing the bulk of the text and the people responding. While “his love endures forever” gets the job done, the Hebrew is much richer. The word “love” encompasses loving-kindness, grace, mercy, and compassion. I arrived at a repeated refrain of “The gracious love of God will never end.”

The Psalm is divided into five sections: a prelude of thanksgiving, creation, salvation (from Egypt), leading (through the wilderness), and final praise. This is represented in the song’s five verses. (Purists beware: I left out the bits about God killing Og, king of Bashan, etc.)

Musically, it is similar to many of my Pilgrim Psalms; it is a simple call-and-response that could be led without music. It is music for the journey. And we could all use a little encouragement on the journey, couldn’t we?

Give thanks to the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord.
The gracious love of God will never end.

1. Give thanks to the Lord. Our God is good!
Give thanks again to the God of gods–
the God of gods and Lord of lords–
for God alone works wonders.

2. The heaven’s expanse was God’s design.
God’s hand rolled out earth o’er the ocean wide;
created the sun, marking days with its light;
the moon and the stars, keeping watch over our nights.

3. Our God visited us in our misery,
and broke the chains of captivity.
God’s mighty hand pushed back the sea,
and led us through. God set us free!

4. Through weary years in the wilderness,
the light of God shone upon our path.
Dangers and foes, without, within;
God’s love became our promised land.

5. The humble and poor are God’s delight.
God sees our need and hears our cry.
All creatures are sustained by God’s loving-kindness.
All earth gives thanks to our God on high!

Categories
Demos Psalms

Psalm 17: Show Me the Wonder of Your Love

In Psalm 17, the Psalmist is being pursued by enemies and calls to God for help. The six-part Psalm includes an initial appeal for God to hear, a proclamation of innocence, a petition (save me!), an accusation of the wicked, another petition, and a final word of confidence that God will save.

Psalm 17 is not really for adults only,
but your kids probably won’t like it very much.

While I’m sympathetic to the Psalmist’s plight, the bulk of the Psalm is taken up with the Psalmist explaining to God just how good he is (“If you try my heart…you will find no wickedness in me”) and just how bad the enemies are (“They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly”).

Samuel Terrien claims the song is chiastic (a mirrored text joined at the most important verse) focusing on verse 7, which he translates as: Make a miracle of love! That phrase became “Show me the wonder of your love” in this new song, and became my way into the entire Psalm. Once I had the refrain, I built around it with a six-part structure that mirrors the original.

And there you have it, your new favorite musical rendition of Psalm 17!

1. Lord, listen to my cry.
Hear me, O God of might.
Don’t let me suffer defeat.

You know I’ve always tried
to walk the path that’s right
and keep my heart from deceit.

I call on you, O God who listens,
hear my honest plea.
If you don’t save me, no one will.
Come rescue me.
Come rescue me.

Show me the wonder of your love.
Save me when I’m pursued.
Make me a miracle of trust.
Let me find me refuge in you.
Let me find me refuge in you.

2. When I from danger flee,
God, hide me in your wings.
Only your strength keeps me safe.

So many enemies
are all surrounding me,
ready to pounce on their prey.

Rise up, O Lord, and overthrow
the ones attacking me.
God, prove your power. Prove your love
and set me free.
Come, set me free.

Show me the wonder of your love.
Save me when I’m pursued.
Make me a miracle of trust.
Let me find me refuge in you.
Let me find me refuge in you.

Show me the wonder of your love.
Let me look on your face.
Fill me with your holy light.
And remain with me all my days.
And remain with me all my days.

Categories
Church Congregational Songs Demos Psalms

Psalm 15: Lord, May I Dwell with You?

From my Psalm 15 study notes:

I’ve got to admit: it’s almost depressing reading Psalm 15. Not only is it works righteousness, but it sets the bar impossibly high. Who may dwell in God’s sanctuary? No one…

I believe that if we’re going to take God’s Word seriously, we have to begin with what the text actually says. Too often, we’re quick to explain away something as allegory because we don’t like its primary message. (Song of Solomon, anyone?). Having said that, we also need to dig beneath the surface if we’re going to let the Spirit speak to us through scripture.

Psalm 15 initially struck me as a spiritual checklist for those who want to be close to God: be blameless, speak honestly, don’t take bribes, and hate the wicked. I thought to myself, “How in the world am I going to write a song based on this Psalm?” Perhaps recast it as a confession? (“Forgive us for not living up to these godly traits.”) Or answer the question “who may dwell?” with the answer “Jesus–the only truly perfect One.” “How can we dwell? Only through Jesus.”

In the end, I decided to turn the Psalm into a prayer of devotion. The chorus is a prayer of aspiration, “Lord, may I dwell with you?” and the verses pray for the strength and guidance to live the godly life outlined in the Psalm. The music is in a simple, Taizé-like style, with verses chanted over the chorus. This also allows the chorus to be used independently as a scripture song, focusing on the deeper message of the Psalm: a desire to dwell in God’s presence, knowing God as a refuge and our true home.

Lord, may I dwell with you?
Lord, may I dwell with you?
Lord, may I know your refuge, my home.
Lord, may I dwell with you?

1. Who may remain in your presence?
Who may live in your holy place?
The blameless, the righteous, and those who speak truth.
Lord, may I dwell with you?

2. Lord, may my tongue speak no ill;
let me do my neighbor no wrong,
pay no heed to the proud, but honor the just.
Lord, may I dwell with you?

3. Lord, help me keep my word.
Let me be generous and honest.
Keep me secure in your perfect will.
Lord, may I dwell with you?

Categories
Church Congregational Songs Demos Psalms

Psalm 14: We Wait for You, Our Savior

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

I’m posting this Psalm two days after the Superbowl, which has given people 48 hours to register their disgust at Rihanna’s halftime show. Clutching their pearls and a bag of chips, they have declared it indecent. Perverse. I really don’t have an opinion about that. (Except maybe you shouldn’t be watching the Superbowl if you’re that easily offended.)

I just realized I’m posting Psalm 14 on February 14. Happy Valentines Day!

At first blush, Psalm 14 seems almost as catty as the Rihanna haters. The Psalmist comes out swinging, calling the godless “fools,” “abominable,” “perverse,” and “evil.” Ouch. However, this vitriol is not aimed at random unbelievers (or entertainers who sing suggestive songs), it is reserved for those “who eat my people as they eat bread” and who would “confound the plans of the poor.”

This is a good lesson for those who would engage in culture wars. God gets angry, but not with people who simply don’t believe. No, God gets angry with those who harm the ones he loves–especially the poor. And beautifully, we don’t have to get angry or fight these people; we just have to run to God for refugee.

RiRi, I’ve got your back. I just hope one day you’ll stand under God’s umbrella (ella, ella, eh, eh, eh)*

In times of disbelief and doubt,
corruption and alarm,
the Lord looks down from heaven
to judge the human heart.

The strong devour the innocent
like gluttons gorge on bread.
O God, have mercy on the weak–
give refuge, once again.

We wait for you, our Savior,
to rescue us, once more.
Restore us to your favor;
renew us in your joy.
Renew us in your joy.

*Sorry. I couldn’t resist.

Categories
Church Congregational Songs Demos Psalms

Psalm 108: O God, My Heart Is Ready (w/ Kate Bluett)

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

Whenever I get the chance to work with Kate Bluett, I jump at the opportunity. She has a knack for writing hymns that are fresh and insightful, yet draw a worshiper’s attention to the subject rather than the words.

In this case, I told her I would welcome any new Psalm songs she’d like to send my way. Within three days, there was a new rendering of Psalm 108 in my inbox. As I told her in my reply, anyone who rhymes “thrum” and “done” is okay in my book. (Please, let’s call a moratorium on God/sod, sin/within, and died/crucified!)

Since this is a Psalm of morning praise, I wanted the music to be bright and airy. The melody leaps and dives like a brisk ride through a hilly landscape at sunrise. The harmonies float under the melody until finally coming to rest in the interlude. It is a short, simple song, but beautifully satisfying. (If I don’t say so myself.)

1. O God, my heart is ready
to rise and sing your praise.
My soul in you is steadfast;
my song will wake the day.
My pulse reverberating
your name in every thrum,
so I will tell the nations
the wonders you have done.

2. For I have seen your mercy
that towers to the skies,
and I will know your justice
at last when you arise.
But is my hope now fading?
Shall I not see your love?
O God, my heart is waiting:
When will you shine above?

3. The earth is but your footstool,
and heaven is your throne:
Then save your earth from misrule,
whose hope is you alone!
When human strength is helpless,
our hearts turn back to you.
O God, come and defend us
who triumph in your truth!