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Home > Resources > Liturgical Arts > Music > Psalmody and HymnodySinging the Psalms in Modern Worship: A Review of Psalm CDs
by Greg Scheer
| CD Reviews
Sing unto the Lord These Things I Remember Make A Joyful Noise The Psalm Series Vol. 1 Psalms Psalms: Faithfully Yours The Graham Kendrick Psalm Collection King of Glory Celtic Psalms Prayerbook, No. 1 Psalms & Hymns, Vol. 1 |
Few Christians would deny that the Psalms are the prayer book of the Church, the template for how we express ourselves to God in worship. Yet, the modern Evangelical church has had a haphazard approach to using the Psalms in worship. Unlike the Roman Catholic tradition, which mandates the use of certain Psalms on certain days, or the historic Reformed church, which allowed only the singing of Psalms, the modern church is under no obligation to include the Psalms in worship.
This is not to say that modern worship is devoid of the Psalms. Many early “scripture songs” quoted Psalm texts verbatim. Many songs in the Praise & Worship genre continue to be inspired by the Psalms. What Christian songwriter doesn’t feel compelled to go to the Psalms for artistic direction?
However, the relationship between the Psalms and praise and worship is uneasy. P&W is a musical form derived from pop music. There isn’t much precedent in pop music for lament, history, wisdom or other expressions that are common in the Psalms. The Psalms don’t rhyme. The Psalms use forms such as acrostics that are foreign to pop music, and certainly don’t fit neatly into the verse/chorus/bridge patterns used in pop. The composer of modern Psalm songs needs to stretch both the biblical text and the musical idiom so that they can meet. Of course, this is true of any musical setting of a Psalm text: the demands of the text are set against typical musical aesthetic schemes. (How many Psalm settings are equally satisfying to theologians and musicians?)
Below are a number of recent recordings that display a wide range of approaches to setting Psalm texts to music. They tend to fall into the following categories:
- Reference – These songs use Psalm-like language (e.g. “Shout to the Lord”) or take a particular phrase or image from a Psalm (e.g. “As the Deer”). They may have found their original inspiration in the Psalms, but they fail to capture the power that comes with using larger portions of the biblical text.
- Paraphrase/Metrical – Some artists attempt to use the whole Psalm text in a song. A metrical Psalm is a recasting of the whole Psalm text into rhyming, metered lyrics. A Psalm paraphrase is based on the general ideas in the original Psalm text, but not necessarily the exact text. Most of the modern Psalm songs below take the latter approach, boiling each section of the Psalm text down substantially to arrive at the song’s verses and using a memorable phrase from the Psalm for the song’s repeated refrain. Graham Kendrick uses this approach most frequently.
- Rhapsody – Some composers forego common pop song forms (verse, chorus, bridge) altogether, using a rhapsodic or through-composed approach to form. The resulting series of musical episodes is able to closely follow the form and emotion of the original Psalm text. Scott Brenner works primarily in this style.
- Narration – Some of these recordings don’t even attempt to set the Psalm text to music. Instead they narrate the full Psalm text over instrumental music. Sometimes the narrations are interjected between a sung refrain. Kent Henry and Wesley Campbell both take this approach.
Only a handful of these songs recast a Psalm in its entirety. Even fewer do it in a way that is singable by a congregation. However, they all display a commitment to allowing the Psalms to shape our faith. My prayer is that modern songwriters will redouble their efforts to translate the Psalms into modern musical language and that today’s churches will more intentionally voice their faith with the rich words of God’s prayer book.
Questions for Discussion:
- Does your church use the Psalms in worship? How?
- Would your church’s worship benefit from using the Psalms more intentionally?
- Create a list of songs in your church’s repertoire that are based on the Psalms. How much of the Psalm is used in the song? Read the whole Psalm then discuss whether the song accurately represents the biblical text.
- Could any of the songs or approaches to Psalmody mentioned here be used in your church setting?
- Do you think that sad or angry Psalms should be used in worship? Why or why not?
- What Psalm CDs or songs would you add to this list? (We’d love to hear about them!)
CD REVIEWS
“Sing unto the Lord: The Psalms of David for Daily Living.” (Martingale Music, LLC)
Think of this Christian Book Distributors collection as a “greatest hits” of modern psalmody, featuring three CDs of Psalm songs from a wide variety of artists. Some are established artists like Steve Bell and Margaret Becker, others are new voices like Katie Giguere and Jeanne Gere. With so many musical styles you may not warm up to all 36 songs, but for $6.99 you can’t go wrong. Many of the songs could be effectively sung by congregation. Let’s hope a companion music book becomes available.
“These Things I Remember” by Sojourn Community. (Sojourn Community, 2005)
As praise and worship recordings become more polished and professional, it’s refreshing to find a CD that emerges from a local church context. This recording from the Louisville, Kentucky Sojourn Community is a snapshot of the musical life of one such worshiping community. The songs, many of which are based on Psalms, range from dobro-tinged folk to blues rock to experimental world beat. All the songs are well written, and many—particularly “Psalm Fifty-Seven,” “Bow” and “Mourning into Dancing”—are appropriate for group singing. Especially welcome is the inclusion of lament throughout the recording. In fact, the CD starts with the words “All I feel is broken and weary to the bone. I’ve given up the fight and find I have no strength to carry on.” These honest expressions of doubt and confusion create a rich context when words of hope and trust come to the foreground. When the CD ends with the joyful “Mourning into Dancing,” it is no superficial happiness. It is a hard-won, rooted joy, much like the Psalms themselves.
“Make A Joyful Noise: Psalms for a New Generation” by Paul Field. (ICC Studios, 2003)
Though Paul Field has over 25 albums to his credit and his songs have been recorded by a veritable Who’s Who of pop music (Avalon, Rebecca St. James and Cliff Richard to name a few), he is hardly a household name. It’s a shame that people are not more familiar with his music—he is an exceptionally fine songwriter. On “Make a Joyful Noise” he has applied his skills to crafting a fine collection of Psalm songs for children. Each song distills the message of the Psalm into a simple and memorable musical message that can be sung by children. The upbeat songs are energetic without being trite and the ballads are sweet without being syrupy. Some highlights: in “Surrounded by His Love (Psalm 23)” the folk/pop music style amplifies the comforting message of the Psalm; the simple “I Will Hide Your Word Inside My Heart (Psalm 119)” could be sung prior to the reading of scripture; “Hold On (Psalm 40)” is a kid-sized lament; “Now and Forevermore (Psalm 121)” is a beautiful benediction or bedtime song. Fields is serious about people doing more than just listening to the CD—he’s included PDF files of the music (vocal, piano, chords) and lyrics for overhead projection.
“The Psalm Series Vol. 1 - Sword of the Spirit,” “The Psalm Series Vol. 2 - Shield of Faith” and “The Psalm Series Vol. 3 - Breath of Life” by Kent Henry. (Kent Henry Ministries, 1999, 2000, 2001)
Kent Henry is an established worship leader, trainer and recording artist who has been called an “apostolic psalmist.” In this series of recordings he approaches the Psalms in a devotional, rather than congregational, manner. Short “ songlettes” (imagine Taizé crossed with praise and worship) form a bed of music over which Henry narrates various Psalms. This approach has merit, but Henry’s implementation leaves much to be desired. The simple repeated chord sequences are mind-numbing rather than meditative. The narrations range from sultry to over-earnest, at times breaking into forced laughter or sobbing. The idea of a devotional Psalm recording is a good one, but others produce better results.
“Psalms” by Shane Barnard and Shane Everett. (Inpop Records)
Shane and Shane are both fine musicians and songwriters. Their talent and creativity shine on this recording, which lies somewhere between acoustic pop and jam band. Though the CD is entitled “Psalms,” few of the songs stay close to the original Psalm texts. Most are either meditations on a Psalm or songs that use Psalm-like language. Having said that, some of the songs do an admirable job of expressing the deeper emotions of the Psalms, such as lament. This is a satisfying recording, but overall not well-suited to congregational singing.
“Psalms: Faithfully Yours” by Margaret Becker and David Edwards. (Here to Him Music, 2004)
Margaret Becker is an overlooked artist who is consistently strong. Though known as a CCM singer, her entry into worship has yielded songs such as “Jesus, Draw Me Ever Nearer” co-written with Keith Getty. David Edwards is a lesser-known worship leader, but certainly makes a significant contribution to the CD. Here they have joined forces to create songs using the “actual word-for-word text of the new Holman Christian Standard translation of the Bible.” As one review pointed out, this CD is not cutting edge music; however, most of the songs are very singable. Becker and Edward make it clear that they intend this music to be sung by congregations by including PDF files of the songs on the CD. This is a strong collection of songs that could easily become part of the Church’s repertoire.
“The Graham Kendrick Psalm Collection” (Make Way Music, 2002)
Spanning Kendrick’s career, the collection makes plain his skill for crafting lyrics that stay close to the original Psalm and creating memorable, singable melodies. Lyrically, the songs are similar to metrical Psalms, in some cases, or the Psalm-based hymns of Watts and Wesley in others. Musically, the recordings come alive with the assistance of a tight band, sizzling horns and spot-on backing vocals. At times the musical style is dated, with his forays into happy Caribbean grooves sounding too much like they belong on “The Little Mermaid” soundtrack. Because the music style is so closely wed to the “celebration” paradigm of worship popularized in the 80s and 90s, it is doubtful that these songs will enjoy a resurgence in popularity. We can hope that Kendrick will revisit the Psalms, applying his considerable skills to writing new Psalm songs with music that will wear better over time.
“King of Glory: Worship from the Book of Psalms” by Scott Brenner. (Scott Brenner Music)
In “King of Glory” Scott Brenner has created a beautiful, rhapsodic tapestry of the Psalms. The elastic musical forms he uses allow him to follow the peaks and valleys of the texts’ emotions. Rich melodies are supported by a tight rhythm section and tasteful electric guitar work, intertwined with beautiful oboe, recorder and cello lines. The orchestral approach and the focus on the words of scripture remind one of Michael Card, but Brenner’s project does an even better job of amplifying the emotions of the Psalm text and shining new light on their meaning. Little of this music is congregational in nature, but it makes for satisfying listening.
“Celtic Psalms” by Eden’s Bridge. (StraightWay/EMI, 1997)
It’s good to hear music that doesn’t fit into the narrow sound of the typical praise and worship genre. Though the music style is out of the mainstream, the project has enjoyed considerable success, even reaching the Top 100 Christian album charts. The songs are in light Celtic folk-pop style similar to Clannad that fits the earthy, Psalm-based lyrics well. Ethereal vocals float above mesmerizing washes of instrumental harmonies and rhythms, yet there is always a strong backbone of melody and form running through each song. Though most praise bands don’t include these songs in their repertoire, many would work well in a congregational context.
“Prayerbook, No. 1” by Brian Moss. (2005)
Moss’s ambitious goal is to write songs based on all 150 Psalms. He is off to a promising start with the fifteen songs on “Prayerbook, No. 1” (Psalms 1-15). The music is competently composed, skillfully performed and creatively recorded; it is equal in quality to many modern worship CDs on major labels. Moss does an excellent job of interpreting the spirit of the original Psalm text into a modern context, both musically and lyrically. The result is a CD that truly feels like sung prayer. From the unbounded joy of “Your Glory on Display” (Psalm 8) to the fearful prayer of “Arise, O Lord” (Psalm 3) the songs are both faithful to the Psalms and honest first-person expressions. Moss writes about the theology behind the songs and a host of other interesting topics at his blog. Some of the songs could be sung in whole or in part by congregation, but most are more appropriate as performance/listening pieces. Let’s hope that future volumes of the Prayerbook will include more songs for congregation—that would be a gift to the Church!
“Psalms & Hymns, Vol. 1” by Wesley Campbell.
The website describes the series as “entirely new genre of recordings that seeks to revive the ancient Hebrew practice of biblical meditation—namely audibly praying scripture back to God supported with music and canter [sic]” and claims that the CD “is like nothing you have ever heard.” While not as unique as the production description implies, the CD is a good recording of Psalm narrations. The Psalms are well-matched with hymns so that they comment on each other. The texts are well-narrated—not so dramatic that it gets in the way of the text and not so flat that it neutralizes the message. If you want a CD to listen to in your car that helps you hear/learn the Psalms in a context that is one aesthetic step above straight narration, this is a good choice.