Psalm Tunes

A selection of Psalms from the Scottish Psalter.

The Psalms Sung - Volume 7

Psalmody Tunes Volume 3

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Sung acapella from: Sing Psalms 2003 (Produced by the Free Church of Scotland).  Recorded at a Dowanvale Free Church of Scotland, Glasgow  (Meter: CM )

2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
and he it is alone
Who reaches out to Israèl
to bring the exiles home.

3 He heals his people’s broken hearts,
restores the bruised and lame.
4 He sets the number of the stars
and calls them each by name.

5 Great is our Lord and great in power;
his wisdom is profound.
6 The LORD sustains the meek, but casts
the wicked to the ground.

7 Sing to the LORD with thankfulness;
with joy his praise proclaim;
And with the music of the harp
give glory to his name.

Psalm 147 v2-7 (Tune: Crediton)

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)

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)

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)

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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1O Lord, thy judgments give the king,
his son thy righteousness.
2With right he shall thy people judge,
thy poor with uprightness.
3The lofty mountains shall bring forth
unto the people peace;
Likewise the little hills the same
shall do by righteousness.
 
4The people's poor ones he shall judge,
the needy's children save;
And those shall he in pieces break
who them oppressed have.
5They shall thee fear, while sun and moon
do last, through ages all.
6Like rain on mown grass he shall drop,
or show'rs on earth that fall.

Psalm 72 v1-6 (Tune: Petersham)

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Text from the Scottish Metrical Psalter of 1650.

9  For he did speak the word, and done
         it was without delay;
      Establishèd it firmly stood,
         whatever he did say.

  10  God doth the counsel bring to naught
         which heathen folk do take;
      And what the people do devise
         of none effect doth make.

  11  O but the counsel of the Lord
         doth stand for ever sure;
      And of his heart the purposes
         from age to age endure.

  12  That nation blessèd is, whose God
         Jehovah is, and those
      A blessèd people are, whom for
         his heritage he chose.

Psalm 33 v9-12 (Tune: Irish)

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)

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

Evan Bass (CM)

Argyle Bass (CM)

St Leonard Tenor (CM)

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Sung acapella from: Sing Psalms 2003 (Produced by the Free Church of Scotland).  Singing by Dowanvale Free Church.

1 O God, you are my God alone;
I seek your face with eagerness.
My soul and body thirst for you
In this dry, weary wilderness.

2 I’ve seen you in your holy place;
Your power and glory held my gaze.
3 Far better is your love than life,
And so my lips will sing your praise.

4 I’ll bless you, Lord, throughout my life
And raise my hands to you in prayer.
5 My joyful lips will sing your praise;
My soul is fed with richest fare.

6 Upon my bed I lie awake
And in my thoughts remember you;
I meditate throughout the night
And keep your constant love in view.

7 Because you are my help alone,
In shadow of your wings I’ll sing.
8 You hold me up with your right hand;
To you, O God, my soul will cling

Psalm 63 (Tune: Crasselius)

St Mary 4 Parts (CM) [Ps 22]

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Psalm 69 (Tune: St Leonard)

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