Category: Psalms

Communion song – Psalm 23

SINGING THE PSALMS

SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY [Psalm 23]

 
Surely  
Am 
goodness and  
Dm 
mercy are  
E7 
offered at this  
Am 
table
Dm 
Goodness and mercy for  
E7 
all.
 
Surely  
Am 
goodness and  
Dm 
mercy are  
G7 
offered at this  
C 
table,
 
The  
Dm7 
table of  
E7 
Jesus, our  
Am 
Lord
 
Dm 
Come take part in this  
Am 
meal of mercy
Dm 
Taste and see that the  
Am 
Lord is good
Dm 
Bread and wine and  
Am 
sweet 
 
communion
Dm 
Eat and drink till your  
E7 
hearts are full

 
Repeat Chorus

Verse 2
Come remember Christ’s body broken
Lamb of God, fragrant sacrifice
By His blood our sins are covered
By His suff’ring He brought us life.

Repeat Chorus

 
words and music: © Irene Bom
 

Singing the psalms – Psalm 30

SINGING THE PSALMS

YOU HAVE TURNED MY SORROW [Psalm 30]

You have turned my sorrow into joyful dancing
I’m no longer sad or feeling upset.
I thank you from my heart and I will never stop
singing your praises, my Lord and my God.

I will sing and dance, sing and dance,
      sing and dance to the Lord.
I will sing and dance, sing and dance,
      sing and dance to the Lord.

 
words and music: © Irene Bom
 

Singing the psalms – Psalm 150

SINGING THE PSALMS

O, PRAISE GOD [Psalm 150]

1 O, praise God – sound His name on the wind
With the sound of the cymbals, the bells and the brass
O, praise God
2 O, praise God – sound his name on your lips.
With the sound of a shout, or a sigh or a song
O, praise God
3 O, praise God – sound His name where you are.
With the sound of your sharing, your caring, your joy
O, praise God

 

Singing the psalms – Psalm 6

SINGING THE PSALMS / PSALMS FOR ALL AGES

MY EYES ARE SO SWOLLEN [Psalm 6]

 
My  
C 
eyes are so  
C7 
swollen from  
F 
crying.
 
My  
C 
pillow is  
C7 
wet with  
F 
tears.
C 
I am too fright
C7 
ened to face  
Fmaj7 
those who  
Am 
hate 
 
me,
 
      too  
Dm7 
tired to  
G7sus 
face the  
Dm7 
day.    
G7 
 
Lord,  
C 
save 
 
 
G7 
me; Lord,  
C 
save 
 
 
G7 
me.
C 
Save me from my  
C7 
enemies, 
 
 
F 
Lord.
C 
Save 
 
 
G7 
me, Lord,  
C 
save 
 
 
G7 
me, 
 
 
C 
please.

 

words and music: © Irene Bom

Recording from the Send us a friend album

 

Singing the psalms – Psalm 42

SINGING THE PSALMS

AS THE DEER [Psalm 42]

[Capo 5]

Am 
As the  
Em7 
deer longs for  
Am 
running 
 
 
Em7 
streams
 
      I  
Fmaj7 
long for  
Dm6 
you, 
 
my
E7sus 
God
E7 
Am 
As the  
Em7 
deer longs for  
Am 
running 
 
 
Em7 
streams
 
      I  
Fmaj7 
long 
 
 
Dm6 
for 
 
 
E7 
you, my  
Am 
God

 
Verse 2
Day and night I remind my soul
      the Lord is good and true
Day and night I remind my soul
      the Lord is good and true

Verse 3
With the morning I know He’ll come
      with love to quench my thirst
With the morning I know He’ll come
      with love to quench my thirst

Repeat verse 1

 
words and music: © Irene Bom
 

Singing the psalms – Psalm 20

SINGING THE PSALMS

MAY GOD ANSWER YOU [Psalm 20]

May God answer you in times of trouble
May the God of Jacob rescue you
The Lord support you from His sacred place
May the God of Jacob keep you safe
And may He grant you your heart’s desire
May God bless you and be your guide

 
words and music: © Irene Bom
 

Script for 3 voices – Psalm 145

PERFORM A PSALM

Psalm 145

for 3 voices, with group response

SING
1 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his word;
in God my Saviour shall my heart rejoice.

VOICE ONE
3 Great is the LORD / Great is the LORD
and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.

VOICE TWO
8 The LORD is gracious / The LORD is gracious
and compassionate / compassionate,
slow to anger / slow to anger
and rich in love / rich in love.
9 The LORD is good to all / The LORD is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.

VOICE THREE
13 The LORD is trustworthy / The LORD is trustworthy
in all he promises and faithful / faithful
in all he does.
14 The LORD upholds all who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.

VOICE ONE
17 The LORD is righteous / The LORD is righteous
in all his ways and faithful in all he does.
18 The LORD is near / The LORD is near
to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.

TOGETHER
21 My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.
Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.

SING
2 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
his mercy sure, from age to age the same;
his holy name the Lord, the Mighty One.

 
PERFORM A PSALM: PROMPTS

– Let the text guide and inspire your choices
– Less is more: select, focus
– Point of view, pronouns
– Words: repetition, variation, call and response, reword, translate
– Sound: loud/soft, solo voice/multiple voices
– Silence
– Body: stationary/movement
– Props, furnishings
– Atmosphere
– Flow
– Incorporate references to other Bible passages (optional)
 

Inspired by the psalms – Postcards

In 2020, at the height of Covid, I found Rev. Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia’s 8-week Bible Reading Plan: Psalms by Theme online.

I introduced the reading plan to members of my congregation and we met weekly on zoom to share our progress and our findings. Each week I selected a verse to feature on a collage postcard. Later I turned my collection of cards into an 8-page A5 booklet. This is the result.
 

 
BLESSING / Psalm 67:7
May God continue to pour his grace and blessing on us, so that even earth’s farthest parts stand in awe of him
 
DOUBT / Psalm 77:11
I will remember the deeds of the Lord
 
FAITHFULNESS / Psalm 146:5
Blessed is he whose help is in the God of Jacob
 
HELP / Psalm 54:4
You, Lord, give me strength to keep going
 
POWER OF GOD / Psalm 135:3
Praise the Lord for he is altogether good
 
SAFETY IN GOD / Psalm 142:3
When I sink into despair, you know exactly how I feel
 
MERCY / Psalm 28:7
My heart trusts in [the Lord] and I am helped
 

Singing the psalms – Psalm 23

SINGING THE PSALMS / PSALMS FOR ALL AGES

THE LORD’S MY SHEPHERD [Psalm 23]

Bm 
    The Lord’s my shepherd
 
He takes  
Em7 
such good care of me
Bm 
    The Lord’s my shepherd
 
He takes  
Em7 
such good care of  
F#m7 
me     
F#7 
Bm 
I have all I  
Em7 
need
 
I have  
F#7 
all I  
Bm 
need

 
2. The Lord’s my shepherd
There’s no need to feel afraid
The Lord’s my shepherd
There’s no need to feel afraid
He will keep me safe (x2)

3. The Lord’s my shepherd
He’s a generous, loving host
The Lord’s my shepherd
He’s a generous, loving host
My cup overflows (x2)

4. The Lord’s my shepherd
In his house I feel at home
The Lord’s my shepherd
In his house I feel at home
His love makes me glow (x2)

 
words and music: © Irene Bom

Recording from the Send us a friend album

 

Singing the psalms – Psalm 117

SINGING THE PSALMS
ALL YOU NATIONS PRAISE THE LORD

I often draw on the psalms for inspiration when writing songs on a Christian theme. Here is one I wrote for a Resound 12 Song Challenge in July 2024, marking the 350th birthday of hymnwriter Isaac Watts.

The song is a version of Psalm 117, with an Isaac Watts twist – bringing Jesus and the whole Trinity into the mix.
 

 
[Capo 5]

 
E 
All you nations  
Amaj7 
praise the Lord
E 
Bring Him  
Bm 
praise
Amaj7 
Worship Jesus,  
Am7 
all you peoples
E 
Praise Him,  
Amaj7 
praise His  
E 
Name.

 

Bm7 
Great is the love the  
C#m7 
Father has for us
Bm7 
He gave His only  
E 
Son
F#m7 
Great is the love that  
Bm7 
keeps on giving
 
The  
F#m7 
Everlasting  
B7 
Three-in-One

 

All you nations …

 
words and music: © Irene Bom