Verses for Voices
Like chi-ld weaned off breast, but
still calm on mother’s chest;
my soul’s like that within me
for life with God is best.
My arrogance has withered.
I view without disdain.
I trust the one who made me
both now, and ev’ry day.
——-
Photo: by Marcos Paulo Prado on Unsplash
Source: Psalm 131
Text: © David Alexander,2020
Tune: Kuortane, Public Domain
Score: https://www.smallchurchmusic.com/Score_PDF-2010/ForAllTheFaithful-Kuortane.pdf
Audio: www.smallchurchmusic.com Used by Permission
From the pits I cry your way Lord. Lend an ear and hear my voice.
What I need is your attention, not a lot of preachy noise.
Don’t forget that you’re forgiving when my sin is all too clear.
I will choose respectful living, waiting, knowing that you’re near.
More than watchers for the morning I will wait for you, my Lord.
Tuned to guidance for my living found in your eternal word.
Ev’rybody hope in God with whom is pow-er to redeem
person, fam’ly, household, nation from the clutch of evil scheme.
Photo: Gary Meulemans on Unsplash
Source: Psalm 130
Text: © David Alexander, 2020
Tune: Yn Y Glyn. Public Domain
Score: https://hymnary.org/media/fetch/191230/hymnary/media/SCM/OnceToEveryMan-YnYGlyn.pdf
Audio: www.smallchurchmusic.com Used by Permission
From your labor you shall eat and of its fruits.
And you shall be happy. All go well with you.
Children round your table, grow like olive shoots.
Fear the Lord, walk in God’s ways in all you do.
———-
If you wish God’s blessing, seek it from its source.
Find its polar star, and by it set your course.
May you see your children’s children in your time
Peace be on you now, and to eternal life.
———-
Photo: by Shahan Khan on Unsplash
Source: Psalm 128
Text: © David Alexander, 2020
Tune: Cuddlesdon Public Domain
Score: https://www.smallchurchmusic.com/Score_PDF-2010/WhenTheChurch-Cuddesdon.pdf
Audio: www.smallchurchmusic.com Used by Permission
Without love as its cornerstone, a church is bound to fall.
Compassion as its watchword means a nation needs no wall.
To rise up early, work all day, for bread of anxious toil,
Is truly vanity. God offers rest to one and all.
—–
If you would leave a heritage for those who follow on,
you’ll find it in the character of daughter and of son.
For gold will tarnish, fame will fade, respect transformed to hate,
But what you truly are will shine in what they emulate.
———-
Photo: by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
Source: Psalm 127
Text: © David Alexander, 2020
Tune: Maria’s Lovesang
Score: https://www.smallchurchmusic.com/2013/Score/MySoulNowMagnifies-MariaLovsang.pdf Audio:www.smallchurchmusic.com Used by Permission
Without love as its cornerstone, a church is bound to fall.
Compassion as its watchword means a nation needs no wall.
To rise up early, work all day, subsist on bread of anxious toil,
Is truly vanity. God offers rest to lovers one and all.
—–
If you would leave a heritage for those who follow on,
you’ll find it in the character of daughter and of son.
For gold will tarnish, fame will fade, respect may be transformed to hate,
But what you truly are will surely shine in what they emulate.
———-
Photo: by Rémi Müller on Unsplash
Source: Psalm 127
Text: © David Alexander, 2020
Tune: The Seven Joys of Mary
Score: https://www.smallchurchmusic.com/2012/Score/OneHumanFamily-7Joys.pdf
Audio: www.smallchurchmusic.com Used by Permission
Attackers have been at me, since early in my life
But they’ve not yet prevailed, though they’ve often caused me strife.
My back they’ve ploughed in furrows long and caused me great duress.
But victory will come to me for God is righteousness.
—–
The wicked cords that bound me have all been cut to shreds.
The braying hoards who found me have, too, been mowed like grass.
Not worth the effort to bind up, they rot upon the ground
where passing people notice naught of blessing to be found.
———-
Photo: by Mitch Fox on Unsplash
Source: Psalm 129
Text: © David Alexander, 2020
Tune: Thornbury, Public Domain
Score: https://www.smallchurchmusic.com/Score_PDF/ThyHandOGod-Thornbury.pdf
Audio: www.smallchurchmusic.com Used by Permission.
The Lord’s anointed man, held tight in God’s left hand.
Subduing nations, stripping kings, no wall or gate can stand.
The mountains are made plains, the treasures get unchained.
So know that God of all the earth has called this one by name.
—–
God chooses us or not, and uses what we’ve got
We may not even know the Lord; it matters not a jot.
From rising of the sun, to where the day is done
beside who makes the light and dark, there is no other one.
—–
Photo: by Joia de Jong on Unsplash
Source: Isaiah 45:1-7
Text: © David Alexander, 2020
Tune: Thessalonica
Score: https://www.smallchurchmusic.com/2014/Score/WeKnowByFaith-Thessalonica.pdf
Audio: www.smallchurchmusic.com Used by Permission.
When God restored our fortunes we were like those who dream.
Our mouths were filled with laughter, our voices joyful screams.
They said among the nations, that God had done great things.
Indeed we’ve been so blessed that we cannot help but sing.
—–
Restore, O Lord, our fortunes, like streams in desert lands,
May all who’ve sown while weeping, find plenty in your hands.
May we come home from harvest proclaiming what you’ve done,
The seeds you gave for sowing produced the crop we’ve won.
———-
Photo: by Colin Michael on Unsplash
Source: Psalm 126
Text: © David Alexander, 2008
Tune: St Hilda, Public Domain
Score: https://www.smallchurchmusic.com/Score_PDF/OJesusThouArtStanding-StEdith.pdf
Audio: www.smallchurchmusic.com Used by Permission
Trusting in God makes mountains out of us.
We can’t be moved but will forever stand.
Above, around us, beneath to ground us,
anywhere we go, and in ev’ry land.
Even the righteous can be led astray.
when wicked people run societies.
So God, protect us from evil rulers.
Keep them honest while You, keep us living free.
For evil people, we must also pray,
before the Lord comes, leading them all away.
So if you’re upright, pray for God’s mercy
and work for peace and justice ev’ry day.
Photo: by Dragons70c on Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Source: Psalm 125
Text: © David Alexander, 2020
Tune: Somos del Senor
Audio: www.smallchurchmusic.com. Used by permission.
If God had not been on our side when enemies attacked us,
they would have swallowed us alive with hardly any practice.
The raging waters would have swept us to the deeps and drowned us.
The torrents pushed us to a place where no one could have found us.
——————————————
We’ve not been given up, praise God, to be the food of jackals.
We’ve also slipped the snares and traps of dungeons, jails and shackles.
Our help is in the name of God who made the earth and heavens.
In confidence we’ll face vicissitudes of life sans weapons.
————————————————————————————
Photo: by Ayaz Lalani on Unsplash
Source: Psalm 124
Text: © David Alexander, 2020
Tune: Bishopgarth
Score: https://www.smallchurchmusic.com/Score_PDF/ToTheeOGod-Bishopgarth.pdf
Audio: www.smallchurchmusic.com Used by Permission
Aboksu 