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Performed in Heaven is a compact disc of metrical psalms recorded at the Psalmody Recitals, held each winter since 1971 (except 1977) at St Vincent Street Free Church in Glasgow, where sizeable congregations gathered from a variety of churches and denominations. The psalms on the compact disc are all sung by the entire congregation and, as such, reflect the unaffectedness of congregational praise. The recordings are an authentic reflection of the type of singing that has been heard in the Reformed churches of Scotland since the Reformation. In order to produce this unique compilation of congregational psalm-singing, it was necessary to re-master recordings made with the technology of an earlier era. Thus, the recordings themselves span a period of twenty-five years, with the majority being from the seventies or eighties.

Performed in Heaven: Congregational Psalm Singing from Scotland

Psalm 106:1-5 Warwick

Text from the Scottish Metrical Psalter of 1650.
Recorded at Glasgow RP Church

17 I shall not die, but live, and shall
the works of God discover.
18 The Lord hath me chastised sore,
but not to death giv'n over.

19 O set ye open unto me
the gates of righteousness;
Then will I enter into them,
and I the Lord will bless.

20 This is the gate of God, by it
the just shall enter in.
21 Thee will I praise, for thou me heard'st
and hast my safety been.

Psalm 118 v17-21 (Tune: Ericstane)

Text from the Scottish Metrical Psalter of 1650.
Sung by Inverness, Free North, Free Church of Scotland.

 21  All praise and thanks be to the Lord;
         for he hath magnified
      His wondrous love to me within
         a city fortified.

  22  For from thine eyes cut off I am,
         I in my haste had said;
      My voice yet heard'st thou, when to thee
         with cries my moan I made.
 
 23  O love the Lord, all ye his saints;
         because the Lord doth guard
      The faithful, and he plenteously
         proud doers doth reward.

  24  Be of good courage, and He strength
         unto your heart shall send,
      All ye whose hope and confidence
         doth on the Lord depend.

Psalm 31 v21-24 (Tune: St Lawrence)

Psalm 27 v 4-7 - Wetherby

Psalm 21 v 1-6 - Torwood

A few recordings from a lovely congregation praise night.

Psalm 116 - Cunningham

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Psalm 127 sung acapella from Sing Psalm (2003)(Produced by the Free Church of Scotland).  Meter: CM

1 Unless the LORD builds up the house,
its builders toil in vain;
Unless he keeps the city safe,
they vainly watch maintain.

2 In vain you rise before the dawn
and late hours vainly keep
That you may toil for food to eat—
he gives his loved ones sleep.

3 Sons are a precious heritage,
a blessing from the LORD;
The children that are born to us
are truly his reward.

4 Like arrows in a warrior’s hand
are children of one’s youth.
5 The man whose quiver’s full of them
is blessed by God in truth.

Such men will not be put to shame—
that will not be their fate—
When they contend against their foes
who face them in the gate.

Psalm 127 (Tune: McKee)

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Psalm 136 sung a capella from the Scottish Psalter of 1650. Recorded at25rd Glasgow Recital 1996, used with permission.  Meter: 66.66.88

1  Praise God, for he is kind:
    His mercy lasts for aye.
 2  Give thanks with heart and mind
    To God of gods alway:
       For certainly
       His mercies dure
       Most firm and sure
       Eternally.

 3  The Lord of lords praise ye,
    Whose mercies still endure.
 4  Great wonders only he
    Doth work by his great pow'r
       For certainly
       His mercies dure
       Most firm and sure
       Eternally.

 5  Which God omnipotent,
    By might and wisdom high,
    The heav'n and firmament
    Did frame, as we may see:
       For certainly
       His mercies dure
       Most firm and sure
       Eternally.

25  Who to all flesh gives food;
    For his grace faileth never.
26  Give thanks to God most good,
    The God of heav'n, for ever:
       For certainly
       His mercies dure
       Most firm and sure
       Eternally.

Psalm 136 [2nd version]  v1-5,25-26 (Tune: Darwall)

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Psalm 23 sung acapella from The Scottish Metrical Psalter of 1650. (Meter: CM) Recorded at Dowanvale free church.

1 The Lord's my shepherd, I'll not want.
2 He makes me down to lie
In pastures green: he leadeth me
the quiet waters by
.
3 My soul he doth restore again;
and me to walk doth make
Within the paths of righteousness,
ev'n for his own name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk in death's dark vale,
yet will I fear none ill:
For thou art with me; and thy rod
and staff me comfort still.

5 My table thou hast furnished
in presence of my foes;
My head thou dost with oil anoint,
and my cup overflows.

6 Goodness and mercy all my life
shall surely follow me:
And in God's house for evermore
my dwelling-place shall be.

ThePsalmsSung.org

Psalm 23 (Tune: Bays of Harris)

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Psalm 130 from the Scottish Psalter of 1650.

1  Lord, from the depths to thee I cried.
 2     My voice, Lord, do thou hear:
    Unto my supplication's voice
       give an attentive ear.

 3  Lord, who shall stand, if thou, O Lord,
       should'st mark iniquity?
 4  But yet with thee forgiveness is,
       that feared thou mayest be.

 5  I wait for God, my soul doth wait,
       my hope is in his word.
 6  More than they that for morning watch,
       my soul waits for the Lord;

    I say, more than they that do watch
       the morning light to see.
 7  Let Israel hope in the Lord,
       for with him mercies be;

    And plenteous redemption
       is ever found with him.
 8  And from all his iniquities
       he Isr'el shall redeem.

Psalm 130 (Tune: Martyrdom)

The name of God I with a song
         most cheerfully will praise;
      And I, in giving thanks to him,
         his name shall highly raise.

  33  For God the poor hears, and will not
         his prisoners contemn.
  34  Let heav'n, and earth, and seas, him praise,
         and all that move in them.

  35  For God will Judah's cities build,
         and he will Zion save,
      That they may dwell therein, and it
         in sure possession have.

  36  And they that are his servants' seed
         inherit shall the same;
      So shall they have their dwelling there
         that love his blessèd name.

Psalm 69 (Tune: St Leonard)

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20  Unto thy cov'nant have respect;
         for earth's dark places be
      Full of the habitations
         of horrid cruelty.

  21  O let not those that be oppressed
         return again with shame:
      Let those that poor and needy are
         give praise unto thy name.

  22  Do thou, O God, arise and plead
         the cause that is thine own:
      Remember how thou art reproached
         still by the foolish one.

  23  Do not forget the voice of those
         that are thine enemies:
      Of those the tumult ever grows
         that do against thee rise.

Psalm 74 (Tune: Morven)

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Text: Scottish Psalter (1650) 

7  God shall endure for aye; he doth
         for judgment set his throne;
   8  In righteousness to judge the world,
         justice to give each one.

   9  God also will a refuge be
         for those that are oppressed;
      A refuge will he be in times
         of trouble to distressed.

  10  And they that know thy name, in thee
         their confidence will place:
      For thou hast not forsaken them
         that truly seek thy face.

  11  O sing ye praises to the Lord,
         that dwells in Zion hill;
      And all the nations among
         his deeds record ye still.

Psalm 9 (Tune: Stroudwater)

1  O Lord, thou art my God and King;
        Thee will I magnify and praise:
     I will thee bless, and gladly sing
        Unto thy holy name always.

  2  Each day I rise I will thee bless,
        And praise thy name time without end.
  3  Much to be praised, and great God is;
        His greatness none can comprehend.

   7  They utter shall abundantly
        The mem'ry of thy goodness great;
     And shall sing praises cheerfully,
        Whilst they thy righteousness relate.

  8  The Lord our God is gracious,
        Compassionate is he also;
     In mercy he is plenteous,
        But unto wrath and anger slow.

Psalm 145 v1-8 (Tune: Warrington)

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Text from the Scottish Metrical Psalter of 1650.
Used with permission of the Northern Presbytery Choir of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland.

3 Set thou thy trust upon the Lord,
and be thou doing good;
And so thou in the land shalt dwell,
and verily have food.

4 Delight thyself in God; he'll give
thine heart's desire to thee.
5 Thy way to God commit, him trust,
it bring to pass shall he.
 
6 And, like unto the light, he shall
thy righteousness display;
And he thy judgment shall bring forth
like noon-tide of the day.

7 Rest in the Lord, and patiently
wait for him: do not fret
For him who, prosp'ring in his way,
success in sin doth get.

Psalm 37 (Tune: Azmon / Denfield)

Psalm 72 v 17-19 - Stornoway

700 Free Recordings of Congregational & Choral Psalm Singing.
Different Versions, Different Tunes, Different Styles. All the recordings are free!!

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Psalm 127 (Tune: McKee)

ThePsalmsSung.org

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