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Music: Henry Smart, 1867
Text: Timothy Dudley-Smith, 1972 ©
Artwork: “Vision Of The Lamb And The Four Living Creatures”

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Tenor

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Sheet Music

328 Heavenly Hosts In Ceaseless Worship

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I was deeply distraught by the assassination of Charlie Kirk yesterday. I, like many, felt a deep rage seeing one of our own taken down by demonic forces for simply speaking with people. Yesterday, many of us learned to truly hate what is evil.

The Psalter has answers for clinging to what is good so today I wrote and recorded the following setting of Psalm 120 arranged from the NKJV. It is written for Charlie Kirk, a true gentleman, who dedicated his life to speaking truth in the pursuit of peace. Charlie was truly a peacemaker but the enemies risen up against us only want war.

At the end of the song I take a small snippet from Gregory Wilbur’s setting of Psalm 68 - “Let God Arise.”

Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God.

Rest in peace Charlie Kirk, son of God.

Psalm 120

1 In my distress I cried to the LORD,
And He heard me.

2 Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips
And from a deceitful tongue.

3 What shall be given to you,
Or what shall be done to you,
You false tongue?

4 Sharp arrows of the warrior,
With coals of the broom tree!

5 Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech,
That I dwell among the tents of Kedar!

6 My soul has dwelt too long
With one who hates peace.

7 I am for peace;
But when I speak, they are for war.

Psalm 68

Let God arise in all His might
And put the troops of Hell to flight!

The text

1 O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger, Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure.

2 Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am weak; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are troubled.

3 My soul also is greatly troubled; But You, O LORD—how long?

4 Return, O LORD, deliver me! Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake!

5 For in death there is no remembrance of You; In the grave who will give You thanks?

6 I am weary with my groaning; All night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears.

7 My eye wastes away because of grief; It grows old because of all my enemies.

8 Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity; For the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping.

9 The LORD has heard my supplication; The LORD will receive my prayer.

10 Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled; Let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly.

The setting

In anger, LORD, rebuke me not, Nor judgment in Your wrath decide. My weakness pity, LORD, and heal, For in my bones I'm terrified.

My soul is greatly terrified. O LORD! - and yet how long You take! Return, O LORD, and free my soul, And save me for Your mercies' sake.

For none in death remembers You, Or there Your memory shall keep. And who can give You praises then, Within the region of the deep?

My groaning ever wearies me, Through every night till morn appears. My grieving makes my bed to swim And waters all my cot with tears.

Because of all my enemies This bitter grief consumes my eyes. Then let all evil men depart! The LORD has heard my weeping cries.

The LORD my supplication hears; The LORD has brought my prayers to mind; My foes shall be ashamed and vexed, And sudden shame they all will find.

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This song will be released on Spotify and other streaming services but you can download your own copy of it now for free!

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The Text

Isaiah 2:2-5

2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

5 O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.

The Setting

Behold! the mountain of the Lord
In latter days shall rise
On mountain tops above the hills,
And draw the wondering eyes.

To this the joyful nations round,
All tribes and tongues, shall flow;
Up to the hill of God, they'll say,
And to His house we'll go.

The beam that shines from Zion hill
Shall lighten every land;
The King Who reigns in Salem's towers
Shall all the world command.

Among the nations He shall judge;
His judgments truth shall guide;
His scepter shall protect the just,
And quell the sinner's pride.

No strife shall vex Messiah's reign
Or mar the peaceful years;
To plowshares soon they beat their swords
To pruning hooks their spears.

No longer hosts encountering hosts,
Their millions slain deplore;
They hang the trumpets in the hall
And study war no more.

Come then, O house of Jacob, come
To worship at His shrine;
And, walking in the light of God,
With holy beauties shine.

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This song will be released on Spotify and other streaming services soon but you can download your own copy of it now for free!

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In John 13, Jesus tells his disciples “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Later, the Apostle John would remember this clearly when he wrote under the direction of Christ’s Spirit the words of 1 John 4:7-11

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

The “new” commandment Jesus gave us was second only to loving God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength and so let us show the world we love Him by loving one another.

This SFS is being sung by the choir of Christ the King Academy.

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This song will be released on Spotify and other streaming services but you can download your own copy of it now for free!

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The enlightenment saw human reason as supreme while the romantics favored human emotion as supreme. As Christians we reject both and recognize that God is supreme over reason and emotion.

He clasps the crag with crooked hands;
Close to the sun in lonely lands,
Ring'd with the azure world, he stands.

The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;
He watches from his mountain walls,
And like a thunderbolt he falls.

This poem is a short and powerfully worded masterpiece which is made all the more glorious when read in light of Job 12:7-10 which says explicitly that the hand of the Lord holds everything found in creation including both the reason and the emotions of man.

Job 12:7-10

“But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;

Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you;
And the fish of the sea will explain to you.

Who among all these does not know
That the hand of the LORD has done this,

In whose hand is the life of every living thing,
And the breath of all mankind?”

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This song will be released on Spotify and other streaming services at the end of the month but you can download your own copy of it now for free!

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Sanctus (Latin for “holy”) is a new song that the saints at Christ Covenant Church are going to be adding to their liturgy each week. This setting was arranged by James B. Jordan and can be found in the Cantus Christi 2020.

Download this recording here. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xuyOJc9cNO7sqvBnYxqbsdmtu0yMID0E/view?usp=sharing

All Four Parts

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Alto

Tenor

Bass

Music can be found in the YouTube link or by purchasing the Cantus Christi 2020 from Canon Press.

Here is another “one-take” Psalm recording that we made from Psalm 127. While we had a few less of our own kids in this video we were blessed to have a cousin join us! Connor O’Dell joined the ranks of Stout kids to declare that children are indeed a “heritage from the LORD.”

The Text

Psalm 127 (NKJV)

Unless the LORD builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the LORD guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.

2 It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.

3 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.

4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.

5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;
They shall not be ashamed,
But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

Sheet Music

Psalm 127 Nkjv Unless The Lord Builds The House

165KB ∙ PDF file

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Following worship yesterday, the saints at Christ Covenant Church gathered for a Psalm Sing during which we learned this through composed version of Psalm 15. Then, last night, the Stout kids and I sat down to record a “one-take” version of the song we had a learned together.

Josephine, who is 6 (last girl to the left) and who is filled with a fearless love of singing decided to throw in some of her own fancy “harmonies.”

The Text

Psalm 15 (NKJV)

1 LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

2 He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the truth in his heart;

3 He who does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;

4 In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the LORD;
He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;

5 He who does not put out his money at usury,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.

An Alternative Recording

Prior to the Stout kids and I singing this together, I recorded a solo piano version which can be heard below.

“Come, let us then our tributes pay
To our good God, as well we may,
For all His grace and mercy shown
Through His Son to us till then unknown;
And when through life we wind our way
’Mid trials and suff’rings, day by day,
In faith and hope, whate’er befall,
We’ll wait in peace His holy call”

What a great encouragement this Advent season.

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Lyrics

Good people all, this Christmas time,
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done
In sending his beloved son
Then let us all both sing and pray
To God with love this Christmas Day
In Bethlehem upon that morn,
There was a blessed Messiah born.

The night before that happy tide,
The noble Virgin and her guide
Were long time seeking up and down
To find a lodging in the town.
But mark right well what came to pass
From every door repelled, alas,
As was foretold, their refuge all
Was but a humble ox’s stall.

Near Bethlehem did shepherds keep
Their flocks of lambs and feeding sheep
To whom God’s angels did appear
Which put the shepherds in great fear
Prepare and go, the angels said
To Bethlehem, be not afraid
For there you’ll find, this happy morn
A princely babe, sweet Jesus, born.

With thankful heart and joyful mind
The shepherds went the babe to find
And as God’s angel had foretold
They did our Savior Christ behold
Within a manger he was laid
And by his side the virgin maid
Attending to the Lord of Life
Who came on earth to end all strife.

There were three wise men from afar
Directed by a glorious star
And on they wandered night and day
Until they came where Jesus lay
And when they came unto that place
Where our beloved Messiah lay
They humbly cast them at his feet
With gifts of gold and incense sweet.

Come, let us then our tributes pay
To our good God, as well we may,
For all His grace and mercy shown
Through His Son to us till then unknown;
And when through life we wind our way
’Mid trials and suff’rings, day by day,
In faith and hope, whate’er befall,
We’ll wait in peace His holy call

All Parts

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Alto

Tenor

Bass

The text

Jehovah to my Lord has said, "Sit Thou at My right hand Until I make Thy foes a stool Whereon Thy feet may stand." Jehovah shall from Zion send The scepter of Thy power. In battle with Thine enemies Be Thou the conqueror.

A willing people in Thy day Of power shall come to Thee. Thy youth arrayed in holiness Like morning dew shall be. Jehovah swore, and from His oath He never will depart: "Of th' order of Melchizedek A priest Thou ever art."

The Lord at Thy right hand shall smite Earth's rulers in His wrath. Among the nations He shall judge; The slain shall fill His path. In many lands He'll overthrow Their kings with ruin dread; And, marching, He'll drink from the brook And so lift up His head.

Where to find this SFS

While backpacking in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, the Stout kids and I hiked to and swam in beautiful Spectacle Lake. We’d been practicing Psalm 110 during our wilderness adventure so I set up my phone and we grabbed this version following our swim.

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• Download .mp3 (.mp3 = great quality)

• Find the Sheet Music (From the Cantus Christi #207)

Note: Artwork is titled “Saint George and the Dragon” and was painted by Raphael in 1505

This is a song traditionally sung on Ascension Day which is 40 days following the resurrection of Christ. While the song of course can and should be sung throughout the church calendar, the 40 days following that glorious Easter morning are filled with joy unspeakable, countless alleluias, and hope that does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out as a result of the Resurrection of Christ. His resurrection was a part of His over mission to save the world and the culmination of this mission following Resurrection is Ascension, Enthronement, and glory!

This hymn was given it’s original tune in 1897 by Hubert Perry but I’ve written a different melody for this SFS recording.

The hymn is old. The melody is new. The truth is timeless.

The text

See, the Conqueror mounts in triumph; see the King in royal state,
Riding on the clouds, His chariot, to His heavenly palace gate.
Hark! the choirs of angel voices joyful alleluias sing,
And the portals high are lifted to receive their heavenly King.

Who is this that comes in glory, with the trump of jubilee?
Lord of battles, God of armies, He has gained the victory.
He Who on the cross did suffer, He Who from the grave arose,
He has vanquished sin and Satan, He by death has spoiled His foes.

While He lifts His hands in blessing, He was parted from His friends
While their eager eyes behold Him, He upon the clouds ascends;
He Who walked with God and pleased Him, preaching truth and doom to come,
He, our Enoch, is translated to His everlasting home.

Now our heavenly Aaron enters, with His blood, within the veil;
Joshua now is come to Canaan, and the kings before Him quail;
Now He plants the tribes of Israel in their promised resting place;
Now our great Elijah offers double portion of His grace.

Thou hast raised our human nature On the clouds to God's right hand;
There we sit in heavenly places, There with Thee in glory stand.
Jesus reigns, adored by angels; Man with God is on the throne.
Mighty Lord, in Thine ascension We by faith behold our own.

Holy Ghost, llluminator, shed Thy beams upon our eyes,
Help us to look up with Stephen, and to see beyond the skies,
Where the Son of Man in glory standing is at God's right hand,
Beckoning on His martyr army, succoring His faithful band.

See Him, Who is gone before us, heavenly mansions to prepare,
See Him, who is ever pleading for us with prevailing prayer,
See Him, Who with sound of trumpet, and with His angelic train,
Summoning the world to judgment, on the clouds will come again.

Lift us up from earth to Heaven; Give us wings of faithful love,
Gales of holy aspirations Wafting us to realms above,
That with hearts and minds uplifted We with Christ our Lord may dwell
Where He sits enthroned in glory In His Heav’nly citadel.

So at last, when He appeareth, We from out our graves may spring
With our youth renewed like eagles, Flocking ‘round our Heav’nly King,
Caught up in the clouds of Heaven, We shall meet Him in the air,
Rise to realms where He is reigning, With Him reign forever there.

Glory be to God the Father, glory be to God the Son,
Dying, risen, ascending for us, Who the heavenly realm has won;
Glory to the Holy Spirit, to one God in persons Three;
Glory both in earth and heaven, glory, endless glory, be.

Where to find this SFS

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The text

1 I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go into the house of the LORD.”

2 Our feet have been standing
Within your gates, O Jerusalem!

3 Jerusalem is built
As a city that is compact together,

4 Where the tribes go up, The tribes of the LORD,
To the Testimony of Israel, To give thanks to the name of the LORD.

5 For thrones are set there for judgment,
The thrones of the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you.

7 Peace be within your walls,
Prosperity within your palaces.”

8 For the sake of my brethren and companions,
I will now say, “Peace be within you.”

9 Because of the house of the LORD our God
I will seek your good.

Where to find this SFS

Download this SFS

• Download .mp3 (.mp3 = great quality)

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• Find the Sheet Music (From the Cantus Christi #234)

Note: Artwork is titled “Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows” and was painted by John Constable in 1831

The text

From heav'n O praise the LORD; Ye heights, His glory raise. All angels, praise accord; Let all His host give praise. Praise Him on high, Sun, moon, and star, Ye heav'ns afar, And cloudy sky.

Yea, let them glorious make Jehovah's matchless name; For when the word He spake They into being came. And from that place Where fixed they be, By his decree They cannot pass.

From earth O praise the LORD, Ye deeps and all below; Wild winds that do His work, Ye clouds, fire, hail, and snow; Ye mountains high, Ye cedars tall, Beasts great and small, And birds that fly.

Let all the people praise, And kings of every land; Let all their voices raise Who judge and give command. By young and old, By maid and youth, His name in truth Should be extolled.

Jehovah's name be praised Above the earth and sky. For He His saints has raised And set their power on high. Him praise accord, O Israel's race, Near to His grace. Praise ye the LORD.Where to find this SFS

Download this SFS

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• Find the Sheet Music (From the Cantus Christi #294)

Note: Artwork was painted by Frederic Edwin Church in 1863

On Pentecost we celebrate an unraveling of the curse of Babel, tongue’s in Christ are now united in love and truth instead of divided and confused. On this day we celebrate that when the Spirit comes, people are changed, lives are renewed, and the Gospel marches on in victory.

The hymn is old. The melody is new. The truth is timeless.

The text

Come down, O Love divine, Seek Thou this soul of mine,
And visit it with thine own ardour glowing;
O Comforter, draw near, within my heart appear,
and kindle it, Thy holy flame bestowing.

O let it freely burn, till worldly passions turn
To dust and ashes in its heat consuming:
And let Thy glorious light, Shine ever on my sight,
And clothe me round, the while my path illuming.

Let holy charity mine outward vesture be,
And lowliness become mine inner clothing,
True lowliness of heart, which takes the humbler part,
And o'er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.

And so the yearning strong, with which the soul will long,
Shall far outpass the power of human telling;
No soul can guess the grace, Till he become the place
Wherein the Holy Spirit makes His dwelling.

Where to find this SFS

Listen on Qobuz or Spotify below.

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The Lyrics

All peoples, clap your hands for joy; To God in triumph shout; For awesome is the LORD Most High, Great King the earth throughout. He brings the peoples under us In mastery complete; And He it is Who nations all Subdues beneath our feet.

The land of our inheritance He chooses out for us, And He to us the glory gives Of Jacob whom He loves. God is ascended with a shout, The LORD with trumpeting. Sing praises unto God! Sing praise! Sing praises to our King!

For God is King of all the earth; Sing praise with skillfulness. God rules the nations; God sits on His throne of holiness. Assemble, men of Abrah'm's God! Come, people, princes, nigh! The shields of earth belong to God; He is exalted high.

Download this SFS

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• Find the Sheet Music (From the Cantus Christi #93)

This upbeat fuguing tune based on Psalm 98 is a barn-burner! It takes some work to learn the parts but it is well worth it. Every verse is on-point but for some reason verse 6 gets me every single time: “Let seas in all their vastness roar, The world, its living horde. Let rivers clap, let mountains sing Their joy before the LORD!”

All God’s creation shouts their joy unto their Maker!

Soli deo gloria!

The Lyrics

O sing a new song to the LORD For wonders He has done; His right hand and His holy arm The victory have won.

The great salvation wrought by Him Jehovah has made known. His justice in the nations' sight He openly has shown.

He mindful of His grace and truth To Isr'el's house has been. The great salvation of our God All ends of earth have seen.

O all the earth, sing to the LORD And make a joyful sound. Lift up your voice aloud to Him; Sing psalms! Let joy resound!

With harp make music to the LORD; With harp a psalm O sing! With horn and trumpet raise a shout Before the LORD, the King.

Let seas in all their vastness roar, The world, its living horde. Let rivers clap, let mountains sing Their joy before the LORD!

Because He comes, He surely comes, The judge of earth to be! With justice He will judge the world, All men with equity.

Download this SFS

• Download .mp3 (.mp3 = great quality)

• Find the Sheet Music (From the Cantus Christi #181)