It’s Your Fault, God (Psalm 88)

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My soul is full of troubles, God.  My life is near to death. 

I feel like I’m already gone and cry to my last breath. 

Within this pit I’m helpless with the others who’ve been slain. 

We feel like you’ve forgotten us. Your anger is our pain.

—–

My friends reject, and I expect that you’re the one to blame. 

They’ve seen that there’s no benefit in calling on your name. 

Do you work wonders for the dead? Do shades rise up to praise? 

In Sheol no one knows your love. It’s just us in our graves.

—–

Yet ev’ry morning I cry out. Incline a list’ning ear. 

Since birth I’ve been about to die. It’s YOUR fault that I’m here. 

You have attacked. My soul is wracked, hemmed in on ev’ry side. 

My neighbors shun, my friends are done. It’s just as well I’ve died.  

———-

Photo by Arisa Chattasa on Unsplash

Tune: Stettin

Score: https://www.smallchurchmusic.com/2013/Score/TheSonOfGod-Stettin-NunSeht.pdf

Source:  Psalm 88

Text: © David Alexander, 2020

Psalm 87 Unwound

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All the earth is God’s creation, ev’ry mountain, valley, coast.

There is no place that’s forsaken, neither any worth a boast.

Ev’ry person bears the imprint of the nature of the One

through whose love they’ve come to being with a glory like the sun. 

—–

Don’t mistake another’s accent, alma mater, or address

to confer a higher status, grander race or worthiness.

Being fully human is the highest goal for which to strive. 

Even if we don’t attain it, may we glimpse it while alive. 

———-

Photo:  by 張 峻嘉 on Unsplash 

Source: Psalm 87

Text:  © David Alexander, 2020

Tune:  Vision

Score:https://www.smallchurchmusic.com/2013/Score/HarkTheSound-Vision.pdf

There’s None Like You (Psalm 86)

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Incline your ear, preserve my life, responding to this prayer.

For you, O God, can make me glad by gracious, gentle care.

—–

As for myself, I’m needy, poor, in trouble as I call.

You’re good, forgiving. Hear, and show your steadfast love to all.

—–

There’s none like you among the gods, none even close to same.

All nations bow before you, Lord, and glorify your name. 

—–

In knowledge of your perfect way we learn to walk in truth.

With thankfulness we turn, O God, wholeheartedly to you.

—–

You, God of mercy and of grace, in steadfast love abound.

While rascals seek your servant’s life. They’re everywhere around.

—–

Protect and guard me, comfort, strengthen. Put that lot to shame.

As offspring of your serving-maid, I’ll glorify your name. 

———-

Photo by Anna Elizabeth on Unsplash

Source:  Psalm 86

Text:  © David Alexander, 2020

Tune:  Tudor

Score:  https://www.smallchurchmusic.com/Score_PDF/ThyCeaseless-Tudor.pdf

We’ve Messed Up (Psalm 85)

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We messed up before, God, we’ve messed up again.

Forgive us, restore us, make your anger end.

Will it be forever that you will be irked?

The love that was steadfast; it seems you have shirked. 

—–

It’s true; we ignored you. We’re listening now.

We listen and look, feeling sure that somehow

salvation for people like us is at hand,

your glory again will reside in our land.

—–

When steady and righteous and faithful love kiss;

the land will be fertile and we will know bliss.

For righteousness goes where the Lord makes a way,

so we’ll once again say our prayers and obey. 

———-

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Source:  Psalm 85

Text: © David Alexander, 2020

Tune: Schultz

Score: https://www.smallchurchmusic.com/Score_PDF/OhComeLittleChildren-Schulz.pdf

Where’ver We’re At Home (Psalm 84)

Wherever we’re at home with God, that place is truly blessed.

With joyful songs the birds and bees of nature build their nests.

As all who dwell in earshot of that bliss can true confess,

Their hearts and flesh cry out unto the one whose courts are best. 

—–

The many paths that lead to God traverse a varied scape:

Through valley, desert, hill and vale, by coastland, cove and cape.

And those who travel on them go from strength to greater strength.

The god of gods accompanies the journey’s breadth and length. 

—–

A day within God’s courts is better than a life away.

To keep the door wide open there is where I’d like to stay.

As sun and shield the Lord protects, withholding no good thing

from all who trust and walk upright. My sisters, brothers; SING!

________________________

Photo by Jordan Morris on Unsplash

Source: Psalm 84

Text: © David Alexander, 2020

Tune: Cripplegate

Score: https://www.smallchurchmusic.com/2014/Score/IHopedThatWith-Cripplegate.pdf

O God, Do Not Keep Silence

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O God, do not keep silence;

don’t hold your peace or sit.

Our enemies (and yours, too)

have got us in a snit.

They plan to wipe us (you, too)

right out of history,

in treachery con-spi-ring  

against your progeny.

—–

Again do what you did when  

a woman with a nail

dispatched a sleeping soldier

and sent her foe to hell. 

Drive back invading princes

who threaten us with wars.

The land you gave our fathers

eternally is ours. 

—–

And once you’ve pulverized them, 

then blow them all away.

As fire burns the forest

go set them all ablaze.

Pursue them with your tempest,

a fearsome hurricane. 

Make them ashamed forever

and glorify your name. 

__________

Photo by Matt Howard on Unsplash

Source:  Psalm 83

Text:  © David Alexander, 2020

Tune:   Ach Gott, vom Himmelreiche

Score: https://www.smallchurchmusic.com/2011/Score/ComeSingYeChoirs-AchGott.pdf

Justice for the Weak and Orphan

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“How long will you judge unjustly;

let the wicked off the hook?”

Hear the Lord address you thusly,

since you wield the statute book.

—–

Justice for the weak and orphan,

rights of low and destitute,

rescue for the frail and needy,

THESE your duties constitute. 

—–

You of privileged race and station

cannot understand their lot,

daily darkness to surround them

trembling meeting ev’ry thought.

—–

You, yourselves, like gods above them,

don’t assume that life’s a cinch.

God will see you die like mortals.

You will fall like any prince. 

____________________

Photo by Ivar Asgaut on Unsplash

Source: Psalm 82

Text: © David Alexander, 2020

Tune: Drake’s Broughton   (Elgar)

Score:  https://www.smallchurchmusic.com/2012/Score/SeeUsLord-DrakesBroughton.pdf

On Finest Wheat (Psalm 81)

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They conquered native people and called themselves “the Ones”.

They thought that I was with them, but what they had were guns.

A few of them were pious and somewhat fewer, good.

The greatest part were liars who did just what they would.

—–

If they could only hearken their nation would be saved.

In sharing out the substance that many of them have.

On finest wheat I’d feed them and honey from the rock.

In pleasant pastures lead them and blessings’ flow unblock.

———-

Photo by Meghan Schiereck on Unsplash

Source: Psalm 81

Text:  © David Alexander, 2020

Tune: Wie Liebich Ist Der Maien  7676D

Score: https://www.smallchurchmusic.com/2012/Score/SingToTheLord-WieLieblich.pdf

Restore Us, O God (Psalm 80)

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From far off in heaven, O Lord, lend an ear,

You led us before, but we misbehaved.

The angels surround you. It’s not like that here.

Restore us, O God. Shine your face, make us saved. 

—–

How long will your anger respond to our prayers?

Our enemies laugh, and they are depraved.

The news that we get is of failure and scares.

Restore us, O God. Shine your face, make us saved. 

—–

Our ancestors settled in other folks’ space.

We call ourselves free, we name ourselves brave.

We’re deeply divided by genders and race.

Restore us, O God. Shine your face, make us saved. 

—–

We’ve trusted in oceans and agents and walls.  

We crumble within, from what we became. 

The beastliness that we had hidden now calls.

Restore us, O God. Shine your face, make us saved. 

—–

So turn again, look down from heaven and see,

the people you made, the love you displayed. 

We’re no longer brave, and we’re no longer free.

Restore us, O God. Shine your face, make us saved. 

—–

Please gather us back to a place at your side,

Redeem us from weakness and from disgrace. 

We’ll never turn back for in you is our life.

Restore us, O God. Shine your face, make us saved.

---

Photo by The Tampa Bay Estuary Program on Unsplash

Source:  Psalm 80

Text:  © David Alexander, 2020

Tune:  St. Merryn  

Score:  https://www.smallchurchmusic.com/Score_PDF-2010/DisposerSupreme-StMerryn.pdf

Social Security Lament (Psalm 79)

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We thought what we inherited had need of no revision.

Barbarians now rule the roost and treat it with derision.

“The poor”, they say, “need nothing other than to just keep working.

And that’s how heaven wants it; getting checks is sin and shirking.”
—–

We know that our complacence let this lot become our leaders.

They claim to do God’s will, but they are really bottom feeders.

We let ourselves get satisfied with profits for investors.

So save us, God, from sins that differ naught from our ancestors’. 

—–

The nations where all people thrive have very much to teach us.

We need to open up, allow those messages to reach us.

You’ve heard the cries of people who anticipate privation.

Now act with haste and you’ll be praised in every generation.

—–

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Source: Psalm 79

Text: © David Alexander, 2020

Tune:  Was Mein Gott Will

Score:  https://www.smallchurchmusic.com/Score_PDF-2010/TheWillOfGod-WasMeinGottWill.pdf