# Modern tunes for Psalm singing?



## Connor Q (Aug 13, 2011)

My congregation (exclusively psalm-singing) would mostly use old Hymn tunes eg. Toplady, Irish, Ostend.
Recently my idea of what a nice tune is has been broadened. I'm now a fan of the slow, traditional Free Church Psalm tunes like St Kilda & St Columba. As well as the fast and springy tunes like Nettleton & Lennox that I associate with the US.

As good as theses tunes are, they are almost all over 200y/old, surely the world must have come up with some suitable tunes over the past 200 years?? 
'In Christ alone' goes well to Psalm 139 in my psalter:


LORD, you have searched me and me known,
when I rise up, when I sit down.
You understand, too, from afar,
the very thoughts that in me are.

You mark my path and lying down;
my ways to you are all well known;
for on my tongue can be no word
but you completely know it, LORD​
Does anyone have favorite modern tunes (pious or secular) they like to use with Psalms or even just in a regular meter that may go well with a Psalm? Just remember that they are going to be sung acapella, so nothing that relies too much on instrumentation.


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## 21st Century Calvinist (Aug 15, 2011)

I have heard the tune to "In Christ Alone" being used by the Free Church to Ps 62 (Sing Psalms version). Also in Sing Psalms there is the tune "Before the Throne" (LMD repeating/extended) which is a fairly contemporary tune to the hymn 'Before the Throne of God Above." You can find Falkirk FC singing this tune to Psalm 103 on YouTube.
I like the Indelible Grace tune to Ps 51 (God Be Merciful to Me-77.77.77) which will fit well with Psalm 51 in your own Psalter. The Indelible Grace tune to 'Jesus, Cast a Look on me (77.77) goes beautifully with Ps 137 in Sing Psalms. Also the tune Beech Spring(87.87D), which is in the Book of Psalms For Worship, is a lovely contemporary sounding tune.
The Book of Psalms for Worship (RPCNA) uses many hymn tunes- Praise to the Lord the Almighty, Come Christians Join to Sing, For All the Saints, God Rest Ye 
Merry Gentlemen and many others that I just can't think of right at this moment.
The tune Lochbroom (CM) is widely used in the Free Church and you can hear it being sung to Ps 107 at Psalm Singing Online - psalm-singing.org It reminds me of the waves crashing against the shore!


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## Peairtach (Aug 15, 2011)

There are plenty modern tunes in the music or sol-fah editions of "Sing Psalms" the modern version of the Psalms produced by the Free Church of Scotland. Some of these are in unusual metres but not all.

Free Church of Scotland | Psalms

A "Sing Psalms" CD in which solo presenters sing the new (and new to us) tunes may also still be available from the Free Church bookshop.

Free Church of Scotland


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## Tim (Aug 15, 2011)

Good question, Connor.


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## markkoller (Aug 15, 2011)

listening with great interest...


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## Connor Q (Aug 17, 2011)

Thanks for those links Mr MacLeod, the Indelible Grace ones are quite up my street - a little folk'y  Took me a while to find Beech Spring but its great! kinna Irish/Chinese, I've got a few psalms picked out for it.

The chorus of 'Awesome God' is 77 77, it goes quite well to Psalm 113B in my psalter:

PRAISE Jehovah; praise the LORD;
ye his servants, praise accord;
2	blessèd be Jehovah's name;
evermore his praise proclaim.

From the dawn to setting sun,
praise the LORD, the Mighty One.
O'er all nations he is high;
yea, his glory crowns the sky.​


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