Psalm Roar Sussex
psalms for learning
Here you will find the Psalms that we plan to sing on 14th October 2023. These resources will help familiarise yourself with the tunes. The more you learn now, the more enthusiastic psalm-singing we can enjoy when we get together!
Here is a suggested goal: aim to be able to hum the tune (the main melody for unison psalms, your part for four-part psalms) without looking at the music.
Even if you are not musical, listening to the resources below will help you make the most of the day.
It is unlikely we will be able to sing all of these on the day. Psalms 2, 47 and 70 are least likely to be sung so feel free to concentrate on the others.
Below you will find a few links to www.psalter.org. This is a brilliant resource from Crown and Covenant and we are very grateful for permission to use some of their psalms at Psalm Roar. You can use the website for free and access the clever Parts Player to learn the different parts. If you subscribe (which is very cheap; give it a try for $1!) you can also access sheet music, the words and choir recordings.
On the day you will be given a booklet with words and music.
PSALMS FOR UNISON SINGING
For these Psalms we will all sing the same tune together, i.e. unison.
Psalm 2
This is a tune from the Genevan Psalter, with words updated by Douglas Wilson. Sheet music here (PDF file on external link). It can be sung in four-parts but we will sing it in unison.
psalm 24
To the tune ‘Trumpet Voluntary’. Words by Christopher Idle.
Psalm 42:6-11
O God, my soul is in despair;
So I remember You
From Jordan's land, from Mizar's hill,
And from Mount Hermon too.
Your waterfalls, like thunder, roar
And deep to deep will call.
Your waves have all rolled over me;
On me Your breakers fall.
Sheet music can be seen by subscribers on this page at psalter.org
Psalm 45
Words by Matt Searles. Tune ‘Thaxted’.
O King, you are most worthy, of men you are the best
Your words are true and gracious, you are forever blessed.
Take up your sword in splendour, ride forth in majesty:
For justice and mercy and true humility.
Your arrows pierce your enemies, you march across the land,
The peoples and the nations against you cannot stand.
Your throne will last forever, with justice you shall reign;
You love all that is righteous and hate all evil gain.
So God has richly blessed you with joy abundantly,
Your robes are all fragrant, your courts are ivory.
There princesses attend you, sweet music from of old
Your future queen awaits you arrayed in finest gold
Psalm 68
God shall arise, and by His might
Put all His enemies to flight;
In conquest shall He quell them.
Let those who hate Him, scattered, flee
Before His glorious majesty,
For God Himself shall fell them.
Just as the wind drives smoke away,
So God will scatter the array
Of those who evil cherish.
As wax that melts before the fire,
So vanquished by God’s dreadful ire,
Shall all the wicked perish.
This is a Genevan Tune. There was a time when you could be arrested in France for simply whistling this tune! We are meant to sing this as if we are marching swiftly towards battle.
Psalm 117
Praise the LORD, O all you nations;
all you peoples, sing his praise.
For his love is great towards us;
his commitment lasts always.
He is faithful now and ever.
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
Psalm 134
Not actually unison, but a three-part round.
Behold, bless the Lord,
all your servants of the Lord,
who by night stand in the house of the Lord.
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary
and bless the Lord.
The Lord who made heaven and earth
bless you from Zion.
Sheet music available as a PDF from this link.
Psalms for four-part singing
If you have never sung in four-parts, do not be worried. We will sit in groups according to the part that we sing, so that those around us are all singing the same tune. You may find (like me, the first time) that you have misjudged what part you sing; I thought I was Tenor but quickly realised I should sing Bass. If that is you, just move group.
Soprano - female higher voice, plus children
Alto - female lower voice
Tenor - male higher voice
Bass - male lower voice
The four parts give you “SATB”. Music arrangements for choirs are often described as SATB.
One of the great joys of singing in parts is the beauty of the harmonies. Singing in parts is a way of honouring our male-female distinctiveness, without forcing all men or all women to be identical.
If this is new to you, click HERE for a PDF (one side of A4) which will give a basic introduction to help you.
Psalm 47
All nations, clap your hands and shout!
Let joyful cries to God ring out!
How awesome is the LORD Most High,
Great King who rules the earth throughout!
He has subdued beneath our feet
The nations who had been our foes.
In blessing Jacob, whom he loved,
A heritage for us he chose.
God has gone up with shouts of joy,
The LORD amid the trumpets’ sound.
Sing praise, sing praise to God Most High;
To God our King let praise abound.
Psalm 70
Psalm 70 is “through-composed” - the tune is written to fit the words. Most of it is sung in unison, but for a few lines (in bold below) we split into four-parts. The first video teaches the main tune. The second video is an opportunity to hear it with the four-part section.
Sheet music available at this link (PDF file).
Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
Make haste to help me, O Lord!
Let them be ashamed and confounded
Who seek my life;
Let them be turned back and confused
Who desire my hurt.
Let them be turned back because of their shame,
Who say, “Aha, aha!”
Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
And let those who love Your salvation say continually,
“Let God be magnified!”
But I am poor and needy;
Make haste to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
O Lord, do not delay.
PSALM 96
O sing a new song to the LORD;
All earth sing to the LORD.
Sing to the LORD, and bless His name;
“He saves!” each day proclaim.
His glory to all nations show;
His deeds let peoples know.
The LORD is great, great praise He's due.
He's feared above all gods.
For peoples' gods mere idols are;
The LORD the heavens made.
Before Him splendour, majesty,
And strength and splendour dwell.
For copyright reasons we cannot display the sheet music. It is the tune CORONATION 86.86.86 by Oliver Holden, though our version is slightly different from the one commonly found.
However you can visit this page at psalter.org to play each part. Subscribers can see the sheet music. Learn the main tune. If you are musical you can learn your part and you can do that on the day - our four-part learning will focus on other psalms.
Psalm 98
O sing a new song to the LORD
For wonders He has done;
By His right hand and holy arm
He victory has won.
The LORD's salvation is revealed
For He has made it known;
He to the nations of the world
His righteousness has shown.
This tune “Lyngham” is often used with O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing. We may learn four-parts for all of each verse, or perhaps only for the repeated final line. The video uses a tune “Desert” which has minor variations from “Lyngham”. But it does give an indication of the strength and pace with which we will sing this psalm! Learn parts with sheet music (for subscribers) from this page at psalter.org
Psalm 102:1-12
To this my prayer O listen, LORD!
And let my cry for help reach You.
In day of grief hide not Your face.
Your list'ning ear toward me O bend;
The day I call, Your answer send.
For all my days go up in smoke,
And like a hearth my bones are burned.
Like grass my heart is crushed and dried;
I daily food forgotten leave;
My skin and bones together cleave.
With sighs and groans my frame resounds.
I'm like a desert pelican,
Or like an owl in ruined wastes.
I lie awake, as on the roof
A sparrow stands, alone, aloof.
The video is very shaky but gives an indication of how this can be sung. The four parts are easy to learn. For copyright reasons we cannot give you the sheet music but you can use this page at psalter.org to learn the parts or use the music files below.
Psalm 119:169-176
Before Thee let my cry come near,
O LORD; true to Thy word, teach me.
Before Thee let my pleading come;
True to Thy promise, rescue me.
Since Thou Thy statutes teachest me,
O let my lips Thy praise confess.
Yea, of Thy word my tongue would sing,
For Thy commands are righteousness.
Be ready with Thy hand to help,
Because Thy precepts are my choice.
I've longed for Thy salvation, LORD,
And in Thy holy law rejoice.
O Let Thine ordinances help;
My soul shall live and praise Thee yet.
A straying sheep, Thy servant, seek,
For Thy commands I ne'er forget.
You could visit this link at www.psalter.org to use their excellent resources to learn your parts. Here is an image of the sheet music which is NOT for sharing. Note that Tenor and Bass repeat the last line of each verse.
Psalm 148
Sheet music from this link (PDF file). Music recording at this link (MP3 file). Or find this psalm here at psalter.org although we are using slightly different words.
From heav'n O praise the LORD;
Ye heights, His glory raise.
All angels, praise accord;
Let all His host give praise.
Praise Him on high, Sun, moon, and star,
Sun, moon, and star,
Ye heav'ns afar, And cloudy sky.
Yea, let them glorious make
Jehovah's matchless name;
For when the word He spake
They into being came.
And from that place Where fixed they be,
Where fixed they be,
By his decree They cannot pass.
Psalms for chanting
We will have a go at chanting one or two psalms. The advantage of chanting is that we can sing the actual words of the Bible rather than a paraphrase of a psalm.
Psalm 12
This chant, from The Theopolis Institute, is simple to learn. It is not exactly Anglican Chant - I believe these form of chants are common in Lutheran psalters. Use only the top melody line - we will not be singing in harmony. Theopolis have produced a video to help you learn how to chant which you can find here.
Psalm 67
Watch the video to learn how to sing Anglican Chant.
Then you could give Psalm 67 a try - especially if you print off the PDF file and practice with a piano keyboard. We are probably not going to sing this in four-part harmony, but the main melody (and an octave lower for those who prefer that).
