Common Meter

Psalm 131 sung Acapella from the Scottish Psalter of 1650. Support the psalms - www.patreon.com/join/psalms

1  My heart not haughty is, O Lord,
       mine eyes not lofty be;
    Nor do I deal in matters great,
       or things too high for me.

 2  I surely have myself behaved
       with quiet sp'rit and mild,
    As child of mother weaned: my soul
       is like a weanèd child.

 3  Upon the Lord let all the hope
       of Israel rely,
    Ev'n from the time that present is
       unto eternity.

Psalm 131 (Tune: Humility)

Psalm 103 (Tune: The Homes of Donegal)

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

 3  They altogether filthy are,
       they all aside are gone;
    And there is none that doeth good,
       yea, sure there is not one.

 4  These workers of iniquity
       do they not know at all,
    That they my people eat as bread,
       and on God do not call?

 5  There feared they much; for God is with
       the whole race of the just.
 6  You shame the counsel of the poor,
       because God is his trust.

 7  Let Isr'el's help from Zion come:
       when back the Lord shall bring
    His captives, Jacob shall rejoice,
       and Israel shall sing.

Psalm 14 (Tune: St Thomas)

Psalm 42 from the Scottish Psalter of 1650. Recorded at 'Arbroath' youth weekend.

5  O why art thou cast down, my soul?
         why in me so dismayed?
      Trust God, for I shall praise him yet,
         his count'nance is mine aid.

      7  At the noise of thy water-spouts
         deep unto deep doth call;
      Thy breaking waves pass over me,
         yea, and thy billows all.

   8  His loving-kindness yet the Lord
         command will in the day,
      is song's with me by night; to God,
         by whom I live, I'll pray:

   9  And I will say to God my rock,
         Why me forgett'st thou so?
      Why, for my foes' oppression,
         thus mourning do I go?

Psalm 42 (Tune: Seek Ye First)

Scottish Metrical Psalter (1650)

1  Praise waits for thee in Zion, Lord:
         to thee vows paid shall be.
   2  O thou that hearer art of pray'r,
         all flesh shall come to thee.

   3  Iniquities, I must confess,
         prevail against me do:
      But as for our transgressions,
         them purge away shalt thou.

   4  Blessed is the man whom thou dost choose,
         and mak'st approach to thee,
      That he within thy courts, O Lord,
         may still a dweller be:

      We surely shall be satisfied
         with thy abundant grace,
      And with the goodness of thy house,
         ev'n of thy holy place.

   5  O God of our salvation,
         thou, in thy righteousness,
      By fearful works unto our pray'rs
         thine answer dost express:

      Therefore the ends of all the earth,
         and those afar that be
      Upon the sea, their confidence,
         O Lord, will place in thee.

Psalm 65 (Tune: Dunfermline)

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Text: Psalm 4 from 'Psalms for Singing – A 21st Century Edition (2004)'
Produced by the Reformed Presbyterian church of Ireland.

8  I will both lay me down in peace,
         and quiet sleep will take;
      Because thou only me to dwell
         in safety, Lord, will make.

Psalm 4 (Tune: Wallace)

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Psalm 2 sung acapella from The Scottish Metrical Psalter of 1650. (Meter: CM) From the Scottish Psalter of 1650

1  Why rage the heathen? and vain things
         why do the people mind?
   2  Kings of the earth do set themselves,
         and princes are combined,

      To plot against the Lord, and his
         Anointed, saying thus,
   3  Let us asunder break their bands,
         and cast their cords from us.

   4  He that in heaven sits shall laugh;
         the Lord shall scorn them all.
   5  Then shall he speak to them in wrath,
         in rage he vex them shall.

   6  Yet, notwithstanding, I have him
         to be my King appointed;
      And over Zion, my holy hill,
         I have him King anointed.

   7  The sure decree I will declare:
         The Lord hath said to me,
      Thou art mine only Son; this day
         I have begotten thee.

   8  Ask of me, and for heritage
         the heathen I'll make thine;
      And, for possession, I to thee
         will give earth's utmost line.

Psalm 2 (Tune: York)

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)

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Psalm 1 sung acapella from The Scottish Metrical Psalter of 1650. (Meter: CM) Recorded at Dowanvale free church.

 1  That man hath perfect blessedness,
         who walketh not astray
      In counsel of ungodly men,
         nor stands in sinners' way,

   2  Nor sitteth in the scorner's chair:
         But placeth his delight
      Upon God's law, and meditates
         on his law day and night.

   3  He shall be like a tree that grows
         near planted by a river,
      Which in his season yields his fruit,
         and his leaf fadeth never:

   4  And all he doth shall prosper well
         The wicked are not so;
      But like they are unto the chaff,
         which wind drives to and fro.

   5  In judgment therefore shall not stand
         such as ungodly are; 
      Nor in th' assembly of the just
         shall wicked men appear.

   6  For why? the way of godly men
         unto the Lord is known:
      Whereas the way of wicked men
         shall quite be overthrown.

Psalm 1 (Tune: Azmon / Denfield)

Used with permission of the Northern Presbytery Choir.

1 Blessed are they that undefil'd,
and straight are in the way;
Who in the Lord's most holy law
do walk, and do not stray.

2 Blessed are they who to observe
his statutes are inclin'd;
And who do seek the living God
with their whole heart and mind.
 
3 Such in his ways do walk, and they
do no iniquity.
4 Thou hast commanded us to keep
thy precepts carefully.

5 O that thy statutes to observe
thou would'st my ways direct!
6 Then shall I not be sham'd, when I
thy precepts all respect.

Psalm 119 Part 1 (Tune: Palestrina)

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Psalm 17 sung acapella from The Scottish Metrical Psalter of 1650. (Meter: CM)Used with permission of the Northern Presbytery Choir.

 5  Hold up my goings, Lord, me guide
         in those thy paths divine,
      So that my footsteps may not slide
         out of those ways of thine.

   6  I called have on thee, O God,
          because thou wilt me hear:
       That thou may'st hearken to my speech,
          to me incline thine ear.

   7  Thy wondrous loving-kindness show,
         thou that, by thy right hand,
      Sav'st them that trust in thee from those
         that up against them stand.

   8  As th' apple of the eye me keep;
         in thy wings shade me close
   9  From lewd oppressors, compassing
         me round, as deadly foes.

Psalm 17 (Tune: St Bernard)

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Used with permission of the Northern Presbytery Choir.

9 All nations whom thou mad'st shall come
and worship rev'rently
Before thy face; and they, O Lord,
thy name shall glorify.

10 Because thou art exceeding great,
and works by thee are done
Which are to be admir'd; and thou
art God thyself alone.
 
11 Teach me thy way, and in thy truth,
O Lord, then walk will I;
Unite my heart, that I thy name
may fear continually.

12 O Lord my God, with all my heart
to thee I will give praise;
And I the glory will ascribe
unto thy name always:
 
13 Because thy mercy toward me
in greatness doth excel;
And thou deliver'd hast my soul
out from the lowest hell.

Psalm 86 (Tune: St Anne)

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(recorded by Paul Hillier, Theatre of Voices, The King's Noyse & David Douglass) 
Download full album from: https://itunes.apple.com/album/third-tune-for-acrchbishop/id586089926?i=586090342&ign-mpt=uo%3D5

Text  from 'Archbishop Parker's Psalter'. 
Tune: '3rd Mode Melody'  by Thomas Tallis  [CM.D]

3. Let us they say: break down their ray,
of all their bonds and cords:
We will renounce: that they pronounce,
their loores as stately lordes.

4. But God of might: in heauen so bright,
Shall laugh them all to scorne:
The Lord on hie: shall them defie,
they shall be once forlorne.

9. With iron rod: as mighty God,
all rebels shalt thou bruse:
And breake them all: in pieces small,
as sherdes the potters vase.

10. Be wise therfore: ye kinges the more,
Receyue ye wisdomes lore:
Ye iudges strong: of right and wrong,
aduise you now before.

11. The Lorde in feare: your seruice beare,
with dread to him reioyce:
Let rages be: resist not ye,
him serue with ioyfull voyce.

12. The sonne kisse ye: lest wroth he be,
lose not the way of rest:
For when his ire: is set on fire,
who trust in hym be blest

Psalm 2 (Tune: Third Mode Melody)

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 15  O greatly blessed the people are
         the joyful sound that know;
      In brightness of thy face, O Lord,
         they ever on shall go.

  16  They in thy name shall all the day
         rejoice exceedingly;
      And in thy righteousness shall they
         exalted be on high.

  17  Because the glory of their strength
         doth only stand in thee;
      And in thy favor shall our horn
         and pow'r exalted be.

  18  For God is our defense; and he
         to us doth safety bring:
      The Holy One of Israel
         is our almighty King.

Psalm 89 v15-18 (Tune: Newington)

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

  5  For thou a little lower hast
         him than the angels made;
      With glory and with dignity
         thou crowned hast his head.

   6  Of thy hands' works thou mad'st him lord,
         all under's feet didst lay;
   7  All sheep and oxen, yea, and beasts
         that in the field do stray;

   8  Fowls of the air, fish of the sea,
         all that pass through the same.
   9  How excellent in all the earth,
         Lord, our Lord, is thy name!

Psalm 8 (Tune: Tiverton)

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600 Free Recordings of Congregational & Choral Psalm Singing.
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I LOVE doing it and I love hearing how others appreciate it, but it does cost money. So if you can help me cover the overheads (https://www.patreon.com/psalms), I will keep uploading the beautiful recordings! 

We thank the following organisations for allowing us to use recordings of their publications.

The Free Church of Scotland
- Sing Psalms (2003)

The Reformed Presbyterian Church of Northern Ireland
- The Psalms for Singing - A 21st Century Edition (2004)

Psalm 17 (Tune: St Bernard)

ThePsalmsSung.org

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