Category: Psalms

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Church Congregational Songs Contests Psalms

Psalm 2: The Restless Nations Rage

Update 1/21/22: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.

I’ve collaborated with Naaman Wood before and together we produced one of my favorite Psalm settings. So as I pushed ahead on my goal of setting the whole Psalter to music, I decided to get in touch with him to see if he’d be willing to write something new. After a bit of arm twisting, he produced a beautiful rendering of Psalm 2.

The great thing about Psalm 2 and Naaman’s version of it is that it untangles the claims of earthly and heavenly power. In a political climate where many believe God to be on their side–or that they’re fighting on behalf of God–this Psalm lets us know that our constant wrestling for power is all for naught. God, and only God, stands above us as the ultimate power. It is only in God that we can find true refuge.

1. The restless nations rage, and people plot in vain.
The earthly kingdoms fight against the Holy One.
You sit above us, Lord, and mock our foolish ways,
“A king I have enthroned upon my holy hill.”

2. You say unto the king, “Today you are my Son,
And I will give to you the nations of the earth.
Your iron rod will break the peoples of their rage,
And shatter all their plans like pots of earthenware.”

3. Be wise, be warned, you kings and powers of the earth.
Obey the Lord above and tremble at his word.

How blessed are all of us whose shelter is the Lord.

Categories
Church Congregational Songs Demos Jazz Psalms

Psalm 13: How Long?

Update 1/25/22: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.

I continue to experiment with the intersection of Jazz and Psalmody. Will my experiments prove fruitful? Who knows. But I’ve learned that experimentation–play–is an important part of music growth, so I’ll continue to follow this path to see where it leads.

In this case, it led to Psalm 13, the loneliest of Psalms. It begins with the famous words, “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?” Many people have set this Psalm to music, so it’s unlikely that anything I will say will be entirely original. In my setting, I cast the “enemy” named in the Psalm as depression. The clues are all there: endless sorrow, feeling forgotten, emotional turmoil–even the lethargy and over-sleep that often accompanies depression. The Psalmist poignantly prays to be seen: “Look on me and answer, O Lord my God.” Certainly, we’ve all felt some of this at some point.

Musically, I accompanied this sad Psalm with a descending chromatic melody, mirroring the emotional plunge that depression brings. The opening melody is also a large hemiola, with 3-note “how longs” against the 4/4 meter. It’s not the easiest song to sing; I’m not entirely sure how well a congregation would do with it.

As you listen to the recording, you may wonder “Who are those fine musicians accompanying Greg?” They are all virtual instrumentalists! This is my first foray into using Band-in-a-Box as part of my demo process. I would say it worked exceedingly well. (Now if we could just do something about that singer!)

How long? How long? How long, O Lord?

1. How long will you forget me?
Will you keep turning away from me?
How long to drown in sorrow?
Lord, will tomorrow bring no relief? (refrain)

2. How long until you see me,
until you save me from endless sleep?
How long until your light shines
and hope fills my eyes? Lord, rescue me! (refrain)

3. I trust in love unfailing;
of your salvation, my heart will sing.
How long to lift God’s praises?
I will proclaim: you’re so good to me! (refrain)

Categories
Church Congregational Songs Jazz Live Psalms

Psalm 141: O Lord, I Call to You, Please Hear Me

Update 1/25/22: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.

Any regular follower of this blog knows that I am on a quest to set every Psalm to music. A quick perusal of recent blog posts reveals that I’ve also been writing a series of jazz tunes for my trio to play at our weekly gig. This week, I combined those two seemingly different compositional threads: Voila! A jazz Psalm!

To tell you the truth, I don’t know what inspired me to combine Psalmody and jazz. It’s not my original idea, to be sure. Frankly, jazz is a performance music–and a virtuosic one at that. In my estimation, it adapts poorly to the demands of congregational worship music, which focuses on group singing. Nonetheless, I thought I’d give it a try to see if I could bring these disparate contexts together.

The lyrics of my Psalm 141 setting are a straightforward metrical versification. To that, I’ve added an optional Intro/Outro/Chorus. If I were leading this in a congregation, I’d likely have them sing that simple eight-measure phrase only, leaving the (more complicated) verses to a soloist until it became familiar. Of course, I didn’t lead it in a congregation; I led it in a bar. And that’s just what this recording sounds like.

1. O Lord, I call to you, please hear me;
may my prayer like incense rise.
And may my lifted hands, imploring,
be to you a sacrifice.

Oh, sanctify my lips
to sing the praise you’re due.
Though evil offers fare so sweet,
my heart will feast on you.

2. I count it as abundant blessing
to receive a saint’s rebuke.
For if it keeps my feet from wandering,
I will gladly hear hard truth.

For evil will fall down,
its power overthrown,
and all its might will turn to dust
that’s plowed into the ground.

3. My eyes are fixed on you, my Savior.
My help comes from you alone.
In you alone I find my refuge;
guide me safely to my home.

For danger marks my way
and evil lies in wait.
I safely pass while they are snapped
within the traps they’ve made.

Categories
Choir Church Congregational Songs Psalms

If The Lord Had Not Been On Our Side @ GIA

I was very pleased to hear that my Gospel/Spoken Word/Choral rendition of Psalm 124, “If The Lord Had Not Been On Our Side,” is featured in their Spring 2021 choral packet. I was even more excited to hear the recording that will be included in the reading packet: the narrator is commanding, the choir as smooth as butter, and the rhythm section takes it home.

I think everyone should own a dozen copies!

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Choir Church Congregational Songs Contests Pilgrim Psalms Psalms

Psalm 122: Let Us Go (Church of the Servant)

How cool is this? My friends at Church of the Servant made a music video of my song “Let Us Go” for the COS Psalm Contest premiere Sunday. It was great to see old friends from the COS Choir, Guitarchestra, and Joyful Noise Orchestra, as well as contributions from friends in Jakarta, New York City, and LA (via Pakistan). Thank you!

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Church Congregational Songs Demos Psalms

Psalm 57: The Thunder’s Rage Is Roaring (with Kate Bluett)

I met Kate Bluett through a Facebook group in which we’re both members: Liturgy Fellowship. After she won first place in a song contest and I placed second (always the bridesmaid!) I introduced myself and asked if she’d like to collaborate. The first fruit of our collaboration is a fresh setting of Psalm 57.

Kate did a great job of capturing a difficult Psalm. The first verse teases out the storm imagery that accompanies the famous “I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” The second verse focuses on the Psalmist’s foes who are laying traps. The third verse is my favorite; Kate not only includes the beautiful “I will awaken the dawn with singing” of the original Psalm but concludes with the point that the temporary terrors of the night are momentary, whereas God’s love never ends.

Musically, I wanted something bold and energetic. The opening octave leap does just that. “Pow!” It says. The above demo borders on stoner rock, but I could also imagine it being sung in the style of a sea chanty. (Any TikTokkers want to cover it?) The tune name, by the way, is DO NOT DESTROY. (David already named it in the Psalm itself. Who am I to argue?)

1. The thunder’s rage is roaring,
and lightning flames on high.
I lift my voice, imploring,
but who will hear my cry?
My God, come down; restore me!
From heaven now draw nigh!
Your guarding wings spread o’er me
’til storms have passed me by.

2. My foes, they hunt and hound me;
my grave they have prepared.
Like lions they surround me,
their words as sharp as spears.
My God, come down; confound them
and catch them in their snares,
Your saving love has found me
and held me in your care.

3. O God, my heart is ready
to sing and wake the dawn,
for thunder fades already,
the storm will soon be gone
No night outlasts your heaven,
where terrors all are done.
Your mercy lasts forever,
your love goes on and on!

Categories
Church Congregational Songs Demos Psalms

Psalm 56: O God, in Mercy Look to Me (Carlill)

I came back again to Adam Carlill’s Psalms for the Common Era, this time his version of Psalm 56. This Psalm is a plea for mercy when being hotly pursued by enemies. Have you ever felt like David did when he wrote this–slandered, hunted, trapped? The Psalmist petitions God for deliverance, reaffirms his trust in God’s care, and throws in a few ideas about what God might want do to his enemies. Interestingly, the Psalm ends with a future/past tense statement of faith: “I will present my thank offerings to you. For you have delivered me…” Now that’s faith!

Musically, I thought a Medieval Celtic sound would fit this text well. Instead of the standard pentatonic scale, though, I used the Dorian mode. That raised 6th scale tone gives the melody a unique contour that keeps it from becoming predictable.

If you want to geek out for a minute, pay attention to the form of the song. Usually, folk ballad forms are AABA or ABA or something similar, with each phrase of music being the same length. (Take a look at “Sally Gardens,” for example, which is AABA.) This allows a song to have a good deal of singable familiarity, while also having some variation. My tune is an ABAC form with each A being four measures long and the B and C being two. Even more interesting is that the music’s form doesn’t exactly match the text’s form. This creates an oil-and-water tension that keeps the song interesting over its seven verses.

1. O God, in mercy look to me,
for I am trampled low.
All day they challenge me and fight,
oppressors watch me from their height,
to strike and overthrow,
to strike and overthrow.

2. When I am nervous and afraid,
I trust in your decree.
In God, the Lord, whose word is dear,
in God I trust, and will not fear.
What can they do to me?
What can they do to me?

3. All day they falsify my words,
with evil schemes and strife,
while secretly they trail and track,
they keep a watch behind my back,
to take away my life,
to take away my life.

4. Will they escape their wickedness,
who wait to snare my soul?
You count my wanderings as I pass,
decant my tears into your glass;
you note them in a scroll,
you note them in a scroll.

5. Bring down my foes in wrath, O God,
confirming your decree.
In God, the Lord, whose word is dear,
in God I trust, and will not fear.
What can they do to me?
What can they do to me?

6. I call to you, and then my foes
withdraw in disarray,
for God is with me, this I know.
I pay in full the vows I owe,
my sacrifice today,
my sacrifice today.

7. For you deliver me from death;
my feet are sound and shod.
I will not stumble during strife,
but follow you, the light of life,
to walk before my God,
to walk before my God.

Categories
Church Congregational Songs Demos Hymn tunes Psalms

Psalm 53: Fools Deny Their God within Them (Carlill)

I returned to Adam Carlill’s excellent Psalms for the Common Era to get his take on the difficult Psalm 53. This Psalm (and its nearly identical twin, Psalm 14) is full of rancor, claiming that foolish humans are godless, corrupt, and warring, and will eventually face God’s wrath, their scattered bones telling the tale of their judgment. Heavy stuff. Adam’s metrical rendering of this Psalm retains its themes but uses language that allows us to enter into it more easily.

I decided to accompany the text with Baroque-flavored music. It’s outside the norm of congregational songs, but I think it’s quite singable. The melody is relatively simple, while the harmonies and bass line scurry around it with all the fury of Psalm 53’s evildoers. I especially like how 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 is available here.

Fools deny their God within them,
while they work unrighteous mayhem;
there is no-one virtuous.

Then our God from heaven descended,
and our nature comprehended:
was there thought or thirst for God?

All have gone astray together,
fraudulent in their endeavour,
no-one upright here at all.

Wicked-doers have no knowledge,
as they swallow those in bondage.
They do not proclaim their God.

All the wicked shall be daunted,
and by fear and terror haunted,
shattered bones and empty camps.

You, my God, have scorned the vicious,
and their cruel, vain, ambitious
plans; you have rejected them.

Who will give relief from Zion,
freeing captives from their prison?
May his people all rejoice!

Categories
Church Congregational Songs Demos Psalms

Psalm 6: Lord, My God, Do Not Contend (Carlill)

A few weeks ago, a friend recommended Psalms for the Common Era, a collection of 150 Psalm versifications by Adam Carlill. It is a lovely collection that strikes a fine balance between faithfulness to the Hebrew texts and singability for modern congregations.

Of course, the best way to become familiar with a hymn text is to set it to music! I began with Psalm 6, which is one I’ve never set to music before. I wrote a Celtic-style ballad, which feels to me like it’s sturdy enough to contain the harsher elements of the Psalm (“do not castigate and chide,” “Turn away from me my foes” ), but soft enough for phrases like “soothing touch and balm inside.”

I’m sure I’ll be writing more songs using Adam’s texts. In the meantime, visit his website and get the book for yourself!

Sheet music is available here.

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Church Congregational Songs Demos Pilgrim Psalms Psalms

Psalm 134: Bless the Lord!

The biblical Songs of Ascents, and my Pilgrim Psalms song series, conclude with Psalm 134. It is a fitting conclusion, with the people blessing God and God blessing the people.

I could have written a simple scripture song that rhymed, but I felt that might lock it down too much. Instead, I let the text flow freely, setting the words to a melody that can be sung in canon. (That is, a round.) While this sounds like it betrays my goal of writing 14 songs that are singable without instruments or written music, the result is quite singable. In fact, I would love to try “lining out” this song–the leader sings the melody and the people sing back what they hear–as a two part round.

In the coming weeks, I’ll assemble all 14 Pilgrim Psalms into a playlist and make the leadsheets available at my website.

Bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord.
And bless the Lord, those who minister to God throughout the night.
And bless the Lord, with the lifting of hands in God’s holy place.

May our God, the creator of the heavens and earth, bless you;
May God bless you.
May God bless you.
Bless you.