Common Meter

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)

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Psalm 23 sung a capella from the Scottish Psalter of 1650. (Meter: CM) Sung live by 'the Psalm Choir'. A a non-profit CD of the whole concert is available, for more info please email: prpsalmchoir@gmail.com

  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.

Psalm 23 (Tune: Evan)

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)

Fraught with error, but a worthwhile endeavour.


Ps 80 v 14-19 Morven

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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Text from the Scottish Metrical Psalter of 1650. Recorded during a wedding at St Jude's Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland (Glasgow). circa 2011

   7  I bless the Lord, because he doth
         by counsel me conduct;
      And in the seasons of the night
         my reins do me instruct.

 8  Before me still the Lord I set:
         since it is so that he
      Doth ever stand at my right hand,
         I shall not movèd be.

   9  Because of this my heart is glad,
         and joy shall be expressed
      Ev'n by my glory; and my flesh
         in confidence shall rest.

ThePsalmsSung.org

Psalm 16 (Tune: Moravia) @ St Jude's Free Presbyterian Wedding

A big thank you to Rev Calum I Macleod for letting us share this track from the album 'Sounds from Loch a Tuath', recorded at Back Free Church. (Released December 2013) www.backfreechurch.co.uk/
PSALM 34  From the Scottish Psalter of 1650. Meter: CM

7  The angel of the Lord encamps,
         and round encompasseth
      All those about that do him fear,
         and them delivereth.

   8  O taste and see that God is good:
         who trusts in him is blessed.
   9  Fear God his saints: none that him fear
         shall be with want oppressed.

  10  The lions young may hungry be,
         and they may lack their food:
      But they that truly seek the Lord
         shall not lack any good.

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

Psalm 34 v7-11(Tune: Land of Rest)

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	22	Because the kingdom to the LORD
		belongs as only his,
		likewise, among the nations all,
		the governor he is.

	23	Earth’s rich ones eat and worship will;
		all who to dust descend
		will bow to him; none of them can
		his soul from death defend.

	24	A coming generation will
		most truly keep his Word,
		and future generations, too,
		will learn about the Lord;

	25	And they will come and will declare,
		to people yet to be,
		the righteousness that is his own,
		for none did this but he."

Psalm 22 v27-31 (Tune: Gabriel)

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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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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  How excellent in all the earth,
         Lord, our Lord, is thy name!
      Who hast thy glory far advanced
         above the starry frame.

 3  When I look up unto the heav'ns,
         which thine own fingers framed,
      Unto the moon, and to the stars,
         which were by thee ordained;

   4  Then say I, What is man, that he
         remembered is by thee?
      Or what the son of man, that thou
         so kind to him should'st be?

   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: Richmond)

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

Psalm 1 (Tune: Azmon / Denfield)

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Used with permission of the Northern Presbytery Choir.

5  O happy is that man and blest,
       whom Jacob's God doth aid;
    Whose hope upon the Lord doth rest,
       and on his God is stayed:

 6  Who made the earth and heavens high,
       who made the swelling deep,
    And all that is within the same;
       who truth doth ever keep:

 7  Who righteous judgment executes
       for those oppressed that be,
    Who to the hungry giveth food;
       God sets the pris'ners free.

 8  The Lord doth give the blind their sight,
       the bowed down doth raise:
    The Lord doth dearly love all those
       that walk in upright ways.

Psalm 146 (Tune: University)

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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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Text: Scottish Psalter (1650)  Recorded at a Free Church of Scotland Psalmody Recital(Meter: CM)

1  Wherefore is it that thou, O Lord,
         dost stand from us afar?
      And wherefore hidest thou thyself,
         when times so troublous are?

   2  The wicked in his loftiness
         doth persecute the poor:
      In these devices they have framed
         let them be taken sure.

17  O Lord, of those that humble are
         thou the desire didst hear;
      Thou wilt prepare their heart, and thou
         to hear wilt bend thine ear;

  18  To judge the fatherless, and those
         that are oppressed sore;
      That man, that is but sprung of earth,
         may them oppress no more.

Psalm 10 (Tune: Glenluce)

Psalm 127 sung acapella from The Scottish Psalter of 1650
Recorded at Glasgow Reformed Presbyterian Church.

1  Except the Lord do build the house,
       the builders lose their pain:
    Except the Lord the city keep,
       the watchmen watch in vain.

 2  'Tis vain for you to rise betimes,
       or late from rest to keep,
    To feed on sorrows' bread; so gives
       he his beloved sleep.

 3  Lo, children are God's heritage,
       the womb's fruit his reward.
 4  The sons of youth as arrows are,
       for strong men's hands prepared.

 5  O happy is the man that hath
       his quiver filled with those;
    They unashamèd in the gate
       shall speak unto their foes.

Psalm 127 (Tune: St Andrew)

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Psalm 22 v27-31 (Tune: Gabriel)

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