Psalm Sunday - 119X

Once upon a time, when I was at university, I went to a Free Presbyterian Church. Why is a good question, and something I might write about some other time. But one thing they do in such churches is only sing Psalms without music. I don't hold to their theological reasons for doing so, but it can be a good way to learn a few Psalms, and boy could they sing. Even in our little church four parts were always sung. In some churches the music was actually written in solfa, and others had these cool split-page Scottish Psalters with the music on the top and the words on the bottom.  One of my favourites was Psalm 119X, and I found it on Youtube, so here it is. From memory we didn't sing it quite like this, but close (there's another version here). I dig things in minor keys. Every time we sung this I imagined I was a Christian hiding out in the catacombs or some such thing. I've taken out the visual so you too can imagine.

Before Thee let my cry come near,

O Lord; true to Thy word, teach me.

Before Thee let my pleading come;

True to Thy promise rescue me.

Since Thou Thy statutes teachest me,

O let my lips Thy praise confess.

Yea, of Thy word my tongue would sing,

For Thy commands are righteousness.

Be ready with Thy hand to help,

Because Thy precepts are my choice.

I’ve longed for Thy salvation, LORD,

And in Thy holy law rejoice.

O let Thine ordinances help;

My soul shall live and praise Thee yet.

A straying sheep, Thy servant, seek,

For Thy commands I ne’er forget.