Songs and Psalmody
The Shorey Psalter
It was the spring of 1990—about 31 years ago at this moment. I was recovering from a bout with viral meningitis that would leave me with what is now a 31-year-long headache (about which you may read in my book, 30/30 Hindsight: 30 Reflections on a 30-Year Headache). While recovering from meningitis, I was too feeble to budge very much from my big chair, but my mind wanted to worship. That was when I tried my hand at something I had done little to none of before: putting Scripture to music. Specifically, I wanted to help my church learn to sing the Psalms (since, after all, they form the original hymnbook of the church). But in order to sing the Psalms, they needed to be put to familiar music. So I began to write lyrics which followed the words of each Psalm pretty closely, setting them all to familiar tunes. My efforts led to a complete “Shorey Psalter” which our church sang through twice. No one will ever read or sing… Read More
Latest Psalms
Psalm 11 – In the Lord I Take My Refuge
“When [David] penned [Psalm 11] he was [very likely] under persecution from Saul, who sought his life…his timid friends were alarmed for his safety, and recommended him to flee to some...
Psalm 10 – A Cry of the Oppressed and Poor
“To the tearful eye of the suffering [psalmist] the Lord seemed to stand still, as if he calmly looked on, and did not sympathize with his afflicted one. Nay, more, the Lord appeared to be...
Psalm 9 – Giving Thanks for Defeated Enemies
“With a holy resolution the songster begins his hymn; I will praise thee, O Lord. It sometimes needs all our determination to face the foe, and bless the Lord in the teeth of his enemies;...
Psalm 8 (and Hebrews 2): The Majesty of God and Man
“Unable to express the glory of God, the Psalmist utters a note of exclamation. ‘O LORD, our Lord!’ We need not wonder at this, for no heart can measure, no tongue can utter, the half of...
Psalm 7 – Song of the Slandered Saint
“From the [Psalm’s] title we learn the occasion of the composition of this song. It appears probable that Cush the Benjamite had accused David to Saul of treasonable conspiracy against his...
Psalm 6 – The Lord Will Soon Receive Me
“This Psalm is commonly known as the first of the Penitential Psalms, (the other six are 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143) and certainly its language well becomes the lip of a penitent, for it...