Every Psalm for Easy Singing - Verse Only

PREFACE

Personal and family praise and worship has been neglected by Christians and Churches for generations.  For most Christians the ‘voice of praise’ at home now comes from our favourite singers and groups at the press of a button.  Perhaps we even leave the choice to a Christian radio station or Alexa.  If we sing God’s praise at all at home, it is a sort of sing-along karaoke to our CD player or iPad.

When Governments introduced restrictions in response to the Covid 19 pandemic Churches closed their doors.  When restrictions were eased, they re-opened, but with congregations gagged by face coverings, and forbidden to sing.  Churches turned for solutions, not to the old paths of family and personal worship under the supervision of the local Church, but to untried and untested innovation.  For many people, the local ‘body of Christ’ was replaced by virtual association with Churches in distant places, and perhaps even distant lands.  Congregational singing was all but lost.

This reinforced the idea that praise is something that we listen to, rather than ‘the fruit of our lips’ - what is pleasing to the ear, rather than ‘teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing, with grace in your hearts, to the Lord’.

We hope that this Psalm book in 365 portions for singing; together with its companion A Help for Using the Psalms in Personal and Family Worship, will encourage the old habit and discipline of daily personal and family worship that includes singing.  If it does, that will help to build a stronger defence against future State restrictions, or even persecution of the Church.

Chris Griffiths, February 2023

INTRODUCTION TO THIS EDITION

This edition of Every Psalm for Easy Singing gives the entire Book of Psalms in verse.  The translation has been divided into 365 portions intended for daily use by individuals, or for family worship.  The portions vary in length as they follow the subject matter and structure of each Psalm.

This Psalm book can be used with A Help for using the Psalms in Personal and Family Worship, (also published by Pearl Publications), which gives devotional and expository comment on each of the same 365 portions.

The object of Psalm-singing is to sing words given by the Holy Spirit for use in worship.  What we sing should therefore be as close as possible to the original, in a form that anyone can sing.  That is the aim of this translation.

To sing inspired words requires concentration of the mind.  It should, indeed, at times be joyful, but the Psalms are not simple choruses, or repetitive ‘worship songs’.  We must therefore sing the Psalms thoughtfully at a measured speed, looking to the Lord to bless and instruct us.  It is a different worship-form from that used in almost all modern Churches.

All the Psalms are set to one metre in this translation.  This means that the whole book can be sung to a single tune, for example, the tune to ‘Abide with me’.

In Appendix 1 we suggest suitable tunes for use with this Psalm book.  These are also on the Pearl Publications website, together with audio files that can be played to assist familiarisation with the tunes.

An Expanded Study Edition of Every Psalm for Easy Singing has been published.  That edition explains the approach adopted in translation. It has extensive exegetical footnotes and appendices.

CORE PRINCIPLES

This book grew from the following convictions.

1.   That the Psalms, as inspired writings, are fundamentally different from hymns, choruses and worship songs (2 Sam 23:2).

2.   That Scripture requires God’s people in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 14.26) as well as in the Old Testament (Psalm 105:2) to sing the Psalms.

3.   That it is ‘profitable’ to sing all the Psalms (2 Timothy 3:16).

4.   That by singing the Psalms the believer glorifies God, is instructed in the will and purposes of God (Psalm 101:1, Colossians 3:16), and expresses his or her own spiritual aspirations - mourning and joy - in the words of Scripture (Psalm 22:1, James 5:13).

5.   That praise to God is essentially ‘the fruit of our lips’ (Hebrews 13:15).  All the Psalms should be singable without needing knowledge of dozens of metres and hundreds of tunes, and without needing musical accompaniment.

6.   That any translation of the Scriptures, whether for reading or for singing, should keep as close to the inspired words as possible (Jeremiah 36, Revelation 22:19).

7.   That any translation should be transparent regarding the translation decisions made (Acts 17:11). We have been guided in our translation primarily by the translators of the Reformation period.

8.   That a translation of the Scriptures should avoid novelty or originality (2 Peter 1:20).  We have constantly consulted well-respected expositors of a previous age (see Appendix).

Book 1 - Psalms 1 - 41

Psalm 1

Day 1

¹ Blessings and happiness are on that man

who does not walk as wicked ones advise,

who does not linger in the sinners’ path,

who does not sit down in the scorners’ seat.

² But in the Lord’s Law he has his delight:

That Law, his constant thought both day and night.

³ He’s like a tree by streams of water set,

Which fruits in season, and its leaves don’t fade.

Whatever work he does shall prosper well;

⁴ Not so the wicked - they are like the chaff,

Which wind blows from the harvest threshing floors.

⁵ Therefore, in judgment, wicked ones won’t stand.

Sinners will not rise up.  They will not stand

within the company of righteous ones.

⁶ The Lord well knows the path the righteous take;

The path the wicked take will pass away.

Psalm 2:1-6

Day 2

¹ Why do the nations gather in their rage?

Why do the peoples make such foolish plans?

² Earth’s kings have set themselves in readiness;

Together rulers meet to plot and plan -

Against the Lord and his Anointed One!

³ Saying, ‘Let’s break their chains and ties from us’.

⁴ But he who sits in heaven will just laugh;

My Lord will mock them, and treat them with scorn.

⁵ Then in his anger he will speak to them

And in his fury will strike them with fear.

⁶ ‘I have anointed and set my own King

On Zion, mountain of my holiness’.

Psalm 2:7-12

Day 3

⁷ I will declare the Lord’s decree to me,

‘I have begotten you, my Son, this day;

⁸ Ask me, I’ll give you an inheritance -

The nations!  You’ll possess earth’s farthest lands’.

⁹ ‘You shall, as with a rod of iron, break

And you will smash them like a potter’s jar’.

¹⁰ So, kings be wise. Earth’s judges all be warned.

¹¹ Rejoice, with trembling.  Serve the Lord with fear.

¹² O kiss the Son, lest he should be enraged

And you will then be cut off from the way,

For soon and quickly does his anger burn.

Blest are all those who take refuge in him.

Psalm 3

Day 4

¹ O Lord how many are my enemies!

Many are those who rise up against me!

² So many people say about my soul

‘There’s no deliverance for him in God’.

³ But yet, O Lord, you are a shield for me

My glory and the lifter of my head.

⁴ My voice has cried aloud unto the Lord;

From his own holy hill he answered me.

⁵I lay down and I slept; and then I woke,

Because the Lord upholds me. ⁶I’ll not fear

10,000 set against me round about.

⁷Arise, O Lord, and save me, O my God.

For all my foes you have hit on the cheek;

Broken in pieces are the wicked’s teeth.

⁸ Deliverance belongs unto the Lord.

Upon your people will your blessing rest!

Psalm 4

Day 5

¹ Answer me when I call, my righteous God.

You gave relief when I was in distress

When I was hemmed in, you then gave me room

Be gracious to me.  Listen to my prayer!

² O you great men, just how long will it be?

For how long will my glory be disgraced?

How long will you love what is vanity?

How long will you seek what are only lies?

³ Know this: the Lord selects the one he loves

The Lord will hear me when I call to him

⁴ Tremble in awe and see that you don’t sin.

Speak to your heart upon your bed.  Be still.

⁵ Give offerings of righteous sacrifice.

And place your confidence upon the Lord.

⁶ Many are saying, ‘Who will show us good?’

O Lift the light of your face on us, Lord!

⁷ You have bestowed more gladness to my heart,

More than the time their corn and wine increased.

⁸ In quiet peace I will lie down and sleep;

For you alone Lord, make me dwell secure.

Psalm 5:1-6

Day 6

¹ Incline your ear unto my words O Lord.

My inmost thoughts O do consider now!

² O heed my cry, my King, my God, I pray.

³ Lord, in the morning, you will hear my voice.

I will prepare at morning, and keep watch,

⁴ You’re not a god, who takes delight in sin.

You will not harbour any wickedness

⁵ The boastful shall not stand before your eyes.

You hate all those who work iniquity.

⁶ You will destroy all those who speak a lie.

The Lord abhors the man who would shed blood.

The Lord abhors the man who would deceive.

Psalm 5:7-12

Day 7

⁷ But, as for me, through your great steadfast love,

I’ll come into your house.  And in your fear

I will bow down toward your holy place:

Even the Temple of your holiness.

⁸ O lead and guide me in your righteousness,

Because my foes do lie in wait, O Lord.

Before me make your pathway smooth and straight.

⁹ For nothing in their mouth is fixed or sure

Inside they are so full of wickedness;

Their mouth is like a yawning open grave;

Their tongue they use to flatter and deceive.

¹⁰ Charge guilt upon them - punish them, O God.

By their own wicked counsels make them fall.

For all their trespasses thrust them away

Because it is against you they rebelled.

¹¹ But let all those who trust in you rejoice.

Let them for ever sing: you’ll shelter them.

Let them that love your name rejoice in you.

¹² Because you’ll bless the righteous one, O Lord.

Surround him with your favour as a shield.

Psalm 6:1-5

Day 8

¹ Do not rebuke me in your anger, Lord,

Nor in your hot displeasure chasten me.

² Be merciful, O Lord, for I am weak.

My very bones are aching. Heal me Lord!

³ My soul is greatly troubled and dismayed.

How long?  How long?  O Lord, I cry to you!

⁴ Return again, O Lord, rescue my soul,

And for your mercy’s sake, O Lord save me.

⁵ For your remembrance is not there in death

And there is no memorial to you.

In Sheol who is there that gives you thanks?

In Sheol who will offer thanks to you?

Psalm 6:6-10

Day 9

⁶ I am worn out with all my sighs and groans.

I cry and weep through each and every night. 

I make my bed to swim with all my tears.

My couch I water as my tears do fall.

⁷ Because of grief my eyesight wastes away.

Through all of my oppressors it grows old.

⁸ Depart from me, all who do wickedness.

The Lord has listened to my tearful cry.

⁹ The Lord has heard my earnest cry for grace.

So, therefore, will the Lord accept my prayer.

¹⁰ All those who hate me shall be shamed and vexed.

They shall turn back; at once be put to shame.

Psalm 7:1-8

Day 10

¹ O Lord, my God, in you I put my trust.

Save me from all who hunt me and pursue.

Deliver me. ² Lest he should rend my soul,

Lest lion-like he tears with none to help.

³ O Lord my God, if I have done this thing;

And if injustice be upon my hands;

⁴ If I rewarded evil to my friend;

(I rescued him who wrongly was my foe).

⁵ Then let the enemy pursue my soul,

And overtake it, and tread down my life.

Let him tread down my life into the ground

And lay my honour down unto the dust.

⁶ O Lord, rise up and show your anger now.

Stand up against the fury of my foes.

Wake as from sleep - arouse yourself for me,

For you command that judgment should be done.

⁷ Around you will the peoples congregate

And for their sake return to the high place

⁸ Judge peoples, Lord and justly treat me, Lord.

After my righteousness and uprightness.

Psalm 7:9-17

Day 11

⁹ Oh, make the evil of the wicked cease.

Confirm the righteous.  You search mind and heart.

O righteous God, ¹⁰ My shield is upon God.

He saves the men of honest, upright hearts.

¹¹ God - righteous Judge!  God - outraged every day!

¹² If one will not turn back, he’ll whet his sword.

He’s surely bent his bow, ready to shoot

¹³ With deadly weapons and with bolts of fire.

¹⁴ Behold! one travails to bear wickedness

Conceiving mischief, gives birth to a lie.

¹⁵ He made a pit, and when he’d dug it out

He fell into the ditch that he’d prepared.

¹⁶ His mischief shall return on his own head,

And on his skull will violence descend.

¹⁷ My thanks will answer the Lord’s righteousness.

Sing psalms unto his name - the Lord Most High.

Psalm 8

Day 12

¹ O Lord, our Lord, how splendid is your name -

How splendid is your name in all the earth!

Over the heavens you your glory set.

Display your glory over them above!

² Out of the mouth of infants and of babes

You have established strength, perfected praise.

Because of those who are your hurtful foes,

To still the enemy and vengeful one.

³ Seeing your heavens that your fingers made,

The moon and stars that you have put in place

⁴ What is frail man that you remember him?

The son of man that you would visit him?

⁵ You’ve made him little less than the angels are.

Honour and glory gave him, as a crown

⁶ Over your handiwork you gave him rule.

You have set all things underneath his feet.

⁷ All sheep and cattle; wild beasts; ⁸ birds that fly;

Fish and all creatures that swim in the sea.

⁹ O Lord, our Lord, how splendid is your name -

How splendid is your name in all the earth!

Psalm 9:1-10

Day 13

¹ I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart.

I will declare the wonders you have done.

² I will be glad and will rejoice in you.

Sing psalms unto your name.  You are Most High!

³ Because my enemies are driven back

They shall be cast down, cut off from your sight.

⁴ You have upheld my judgment and my cause.

You are enthroned and judge in righteousness.

⁵ You censured nations: crushed the wicked one.

You blotted out their name for evermore.

⁶ Ruined for ever is the enemy.

Forgotten are the cities you plucked up.

⁷ The Lord will take his seat for evermore.

He has set up his throne, his judgment seat.

⁸ He’ll judge and rule the world with righteousness.

In uprightness the peoples he will judge.

⁹ The Lord’s a refuge for all those oppressed:

A place of refuge in distressing times.