Psalm Tunes

Text: Scottish Psalter (1650) Recorded Arbroath FCC Youth Weekend
(Meter: CM)

31  If they my laws break, and do not
         keep my commandements;
  32  I'll visit then their faults with rods,
         their sins with chastisements.

  33  Yet I'll not take my love from him,
         nor false my promise make.
  34  My cov'nant I'll not break, nor change
         what with my mouth I spake.

  35  Once by my holiness I sware,
         to David I'll not lie;
  36  His seed and throne shall, as the sun,
         before me last for aye.

  37  It, like the moon, shall ever be
         established stedfastly;
      And like to that which in the heav'n
         doth witness faithfully.

  38  But thou, displeased, hast cast off,
         thou didst abhor and loathe;
      With him that thine anointed is
         thou hast been very wroth.

Psalm 89 v31-38 (Tune: Winchester)

Taken from http://sing-the-psalms.webs.com/

1 They in the Lord that firmly trust
shall be like Zion hill,
Which at no time can be removed,
but standeth ever still.

2 As round about Jerusalem
the mountains stand alway,
The Lord his folk doth compass so,
from henceforth and for aye.

3 For ill men's rod upon the lot
of just men shall not lie;
Lest righteous men stretch forth their hands
unto iniquity.

4 Do thou to all those that be good
thy goodness, Lord, impart;
And do thou good to those that are
upright within their heart.

5 But as for such as turn aside
after their crooked way,
God shall lead forth with wicked men:
on Isr'el peace shall stay.

Psalm 125 (Tune: Ericstane)

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Psalm 34 sung acapella from The Scottish Metrical Psalter of 1650. (Meter: CM)

11  O children, hither do ye come,
         and unto me give ear;
      I shall you teach to understand
         how ye the Lord should fear.

  12  What man is he that life desires,
         to see good would live long?
  13  Thy lips refrain from speaking guile,
         and from ill words thy tongue.

  14  Depart from ill, do good, seek peace,
         pursue it earnestly.
  15  God's eyes are on the just; his ears
         are open to their cry.

  16  The face of God is set against
         those that do wickedly,
      That he may quite out from the earth
         cut off their memory.

  17  The righteous cry unto the Lord,
         he unto them gives ear;
      And they out of their troubles all
         by him delivered are.

  18  The Lord is ever nigh to them
         that be of broken sp'rit;
      To them he safety doth afford
         that are in heart contrite.

Psalm 34 v11-18 (Tune: St Matthew)

From the Scottish psalter of 1650
Recording used by permission of the free Church of Scotland Psalmody committee

1  My heart is fixed, Lord; I will sing,
       and with my glory praise.
 2  Awake up psaltery and harp;
       myself I'll early raise.

 3  I'll praise thee 'mong the people, Lord;
       'mong nations sing will I:
 4  For above heav'n thy mercy's great,
       thy truth doth reach the sky.

 5  Be thou above the heavens, Lord,
       exalted gloriously;
    Thy glory all the earth above
       be lifted up on high.

 6  That those who thy beloved are
       deliver-ed may be,
    O do thou save with thy right hand,
       and answer give to me.


Psalm 108 (Tune: Warrick)

Psalm 25 - Selma

Text: Scottish Psalter (1650) Recorded at Dowanvale Free Church of Scotland (Meter: CM)

  3  His work most honourable is,
       most glorious and pure,
    And his untainted righteousness
       for ever doth endure.

 4  His works most wonderful he hath
       made to be thought upon:
    The Lord is gracious, and he is
       full of compassion.

Psalm 111 (Tune: St Stephen aka Abridge)

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Psalm 4 sung acapella from The Scottish Metrical Psalter of 1650. (Meter: CM) 

1  Give ear unto me when I call,
         God of my righteousness:
      Have mercy, hear my pray'r; thou hast
         enlarged me in distress.
     
6  O who will show us any good?
         is that which many say:
      But of thy countenance the light,
         Lord, lift on us alway.
   
7  Upon my heart, bestowed by thee,
         more gladness I have found
      Than they, ev'n then, when corn and wine
         did most with them abound.
   
8  I will both lay me down in peace,
         and quiet sleep will take;
      Because thou only me to dwell
         in safety, Lord, dost make.

Psalm 4 (Tune: Crimond)

 Text from the Scottish Metrical Psalter of 1650. (recording reproduced with permission)

3  Say unto God, How terrible
         in all thy works art thou!
      Through thy great pow'r thy foes to thee
         shall be constrained to bow.

   4  All on the earth shall worship thee,
         they shall thy praise proclaim
      In songs: they shall sing cheerfully
         unto thy holy name.

   5  Come, and the works that God hath wrought
         with admiration see:
      In's working to the sons of men
         most terrible is he.

Psalm 66 v3-5 (Tune: Bishopthorpe)

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Psalm 43 sung a capella by a free church choir from the scottish psalter of 1650. 

1 Judge me, O God, and plead my cause
against th’ ungodly nation;
From the unjust and crafty man,
O be thou my salvation.

2 For thou the God art of my strength;
why thrusts thou me thee fro’?
For th’ enemy’s oppression
why do I mourning go?

3 O send thy light forth and thy truth;
let them be guides to me,
And bring me to thine holy hill,
ev’n where thy dwellings be.

4 Then will I to God’s altar go,
to God my chiefest joy:
Yea, God, my God, thy name to praise
my harp I will employ.

5 Why art thou then cast down, my soul?
what should discourage thee?
And why with vexing thoughts art thou
disquieted in me?

Still trust in God; for him to praise
good cause I yet shall have:
He of my count’nance is the health,
my God that doth me save.

ThepsalmsSung.org

Psalm 43  (Tune: Martyrs)

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57  Thou my sure portion art alone,
         which I did choose, O Lord:
     I have resolved, and said, that I
        would keep thy holy word.

 58  With my whole heart I did entreat
        thy face and favor free:
     According to thy gracious word
        be merciful to me.

 59  I thought upon my former ways,
        and did my life well try;
     And to thy testimonies pure
        my feet then turned I.

 60  I did not stay, nor linger long,
        as those that slothful are;
     But hastily thy laws to keep
        myself I did prepare.

 61  Bands of ill men me robbed; yet I
        thy precepts did not slight.
 62  I'll rise at midnight thee to praise,
        ev'n for thy judgments right.

 63  I am companion to all those
        who fear, and thee obey.
 64  O Lord, thy mercy fills the earth:
        teach me thy laws, I pray.

Text from the Scottish Metrical Psalter of 1650.

Psalm 119 Part 8 (Tune: Belmont)

   6  Thou from the womb didst hold me up;
         thou art the same that me
      Out of my mother's bowels took;
         I ever will praise thee.

   7  To many I a wonder am;
         but thou'rt my refuge strong.
   8  Filled let my mouth be with thy praise
         and honor all day long.

   9  O do not cast me off, when as
         old age doth overtake me;
      And when my strength decayed is,
         then do not thou forsake me.

Psalm 71 v6-9 (Tune: Ayrshire)

1  Hear, Isr'el's Shepherd! like a flock
         thou that dost Joseph guide;
      Shine forth, O thou that dost between
         the cherubims abide.

   2  In Ephraim's, and Benjamin's
         and in Manasseh's sight,
      O come for our salvation;
         stir up thy strength and might.

   3  Turn us again, O Lord our God,
         and upon us vouchsafe
      To make thy countenance to shine,
         and so we shall be safe.

   4  O Lord of hosts, almighty God,
         how long shall kindled be
      Thy wrath against the prayer made
         by thine own folk to thee? 

   7  Turn us again, O God of hosts,
         and upon us vouchsafe
      To make thy countenance to shine,
         and so we shall be safe.

Psalm 80 v1-7 (Tune: Evan)

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5  His testimony and his law
         in Isr'el he did place,
      And charged our fathers it to show
         to their succeeding race;

   6  That so the race which was to come
         might well them learn and know;
      And sons unborn, who should arise,
         might to their sons them show:

   7  That they might set their hope in God,
         and suffer not to fall
      His mighty works out of their mind,
         but keep his precepts all:

   8  And might not, like their fathers, be
         a stiff rebellious race;
      A race not right in heart; with God
         whose sp'rit not steadfast was.

From the Scottish Psalter of 1650

Psalm 78 v5-8 (Tune: Argyle)

Text: Scottish Psalter (1650)   (Meter: CM)

1  I to the hills will lift mine eyes,
       from whence doth come mine aid.
 2  My safety cometh from the Lord,
       who heav'n and earth hath made.

 3  Thy foot he'll not let slide, nor will
       he slumber that thee keeps.
 4  Behold, he that keeps Israel,
       he slumbers not, nor sleeps.

 5  The Lord thee keeps, the Lord thy shade
       on thy right hand doth stay:
 6  The moon by night thee shall not smite,
       nor yet the sun by day.

 7  The Lord shall keep thy soul; he shall
       preserve thee from all ill.
 8  Henceforth thy going out and in
       God keep for ever will.

Psalm 121 (Tune: French)

This tune is usually sung to Psalm 80, Psalm 35, Psalm 119 Part 3.

Evan Bass (CM)

Ericstane Bass (CM)

Argyle Bass (CM)

Effingham Tenor (CM)

Effingham Bass (CM)

Bishopthorpe Bass (CM)

I attend a local church and also sing psalms myself and will share some of my recordings on here. Leave a like if you do enjoy them. Thanks!

Psalm Tunes

Alexander Macleod