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T H E   P S A L M S
Contemporary music & vocal settings
for selections from the Book of Psalms

Track List:

  1. Psalm 146
    mp3      lyrics

  2. Psalm 16
    mp3      lyrics

  3. Psalm 40
    mp3      lyrics

  4. Psalm 90
    mp3     lyrics

  5. Psalm 27
    mp3      lyrics

  6. Psalm 1
    mp3      lyrics


  7. Psalm 33
    mp3     lyrics

  8. Psalm 63
    mp3      lyrics

  9. Psalm 118
    mp3      lyrics

  10. Psalm 128
    mp3      lyrics




L Y R I C S

Psalm 146  
I put no trust in Princes,
for mortals are powerless to save
When they breathe their last breath, o Lord,
They return to the earth from where they came
But the Lord shall reign forever!
But the Lord shall reign forever!

Happy those who hope in God
the maker of heaven and the earth!
The Lord will feed the hungry,
captives and prisoners he sets free!
And the Lord shall reign forever!
Yes the Lord shall reign forever!

The Lord protects the stranger,
and raises up the poor
The lord restores our vision,
while the wicked way he thwarts
And the Lord shall reign forever!
Yes the Lord shall reign forever!

I will praise the Lord of Lords,
sing Halleluia, Halleluia all my days
for He answers those who call on Him
The orphans and widows he sustains.

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Psalm 90  
Before the mountains were born,
and the earth and world brought forth,
from age to age you are God.
A thousand years in your eyes are just a yesterday,
men return to dust from where they came.
They disappear like sleep at dawn, the grass that dies.
Sprouting green in the morning, and drying out by night.
You know our sins, our hidden selves are in your sight
Our life fades, our years end like a sigh
Most are toil and sorrow, they pass quickly now.
May we count our days aright, so we gain wisdom in our hearts
Fill us at daybreak with your love
That all our days we’ll sing for joy!
Make us glad as many days as you have humbled us!
Have mercy Lord, on your servants
Show your deeds to your servants!
May the favor of the Lord our God be ours!

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Psalm 63   
Because your love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
Because your love is better than life,
my lips will praise you

I will lift up my hands and call your name
I will bless you as long as I live
Because your love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.

Oh Lord, my soul thirsts for you
My flesh faints for you as in a dry and weary land
so I looked upon you inside the temple
beholding your power and your glory
When I think of you by night
my soul is feasted with marrow
and I am full With joyful lips
I praise you, for you have been my savior
I will cling to you Lord.
Those who seek my life will go down into the earth
And be given to the power of the sword
But in the Lord the king rejoices
And all who swear by him shall glory
And the mouths of the liars will cease

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Psalm 33    
Rejoice in the Lord, all you righteous
Praise befits the upright, praise befits us all
Rejoice in the Lord, sing a new song

Make melody to him
Play skillfully to him and praise the Lord!
For the word of God is upright
And all his work is done in faithfulness
He loves righteousness and justice
The earth is full of the steadfast love of God!
By His word the Lord made Heaven
And all their host created by His breath
He gathered all the waters of the sea as in a bottle
for He spoke, He commanded, it came to be.
The Lord observes from Heaven
He sees the sons of men and all their deeds
The nations plans mean nothing
For blessed is the nation who seeks the Lord
Let your steadfast love be on us
as we place our hearts our hope our trust in you
Keep us fed in time of famine
O Lord of love deliver us from death.

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Psalm 1
Oh the Lord knows the way of the righteous
But the way of the wicked will perish
Oh the Lord knows the way of the righteous
But the way of the wicked will perish
Like chaff in the wind
Like chaff in the wind
Blessed is the man who stands not with sinners
Blessed is the man who walks not with the wicked
Blessed is the man who sits not with scoffers
But delights in the Lord
But delights in the Lord
Like a tree that is planted by water
That yields it’s fruit in due season
Like a tree that is planted by water
And its leaves never shall wither
In all things he prospers
In all things he prospers
The wicked not so, for their ways
will perish like chaff in the wind,
it whispers them away
They shall not stand before Him in judgement
Or stand with the righteous

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Psalm 27  
The Lord is my light and my salvation
Whom shall I fear? Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is my life, He is my stronghold
Whom shall I fear? Whom shall I fear?

One thing I have asked of the Lord
That I may live in his house forever!
I will offer all my days, a sacrifice of praise
I will make a joyful noise to the Lord!

Though a host of adversaries gather round
The evildoers stumble to the ground
Though a battle finds me here My heart will never fear

I have confidence in Him who saves me!
I will wait upon the Lord
Let courage take my heart
I believe that I shall see his goodness!

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Psalm 40   
As for me, I am needy, I am poor
But the Lord takes thought for me
My help, my savior, my deliverer, my God
Do not delay! Do not delay!

I waited patiently for God, and he inclined to me
He drew me up from desolation
And put my feet on solid rock
He put a new song in my mouth
A hymn of praise, and all will see and fear
And put their trust in God

Blessed is the man who trusts in Him
Who turns not to the proud
The straying chasing after idols, and lesser gods
But you have multiplied your wondrous deeds
And thoughts toward us
So numerous are they there is no counting them
I delight to do your will O Lord,
your law is in my heart
I have spoken of your good news of deliverance to all
Sacrifice and other offerings for sin you do not seek
Do not O Lord withhold your mercy!
Your steadfast love, your faithfulness preserve me
Iniquity has taken me, and evils have encompassed me
My sins are more than all the hairs upon me
And my heart fails! My heart fails!

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Psalm 118   
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good
His steadfast love endures forever!
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good
His steadfast love endures forever and ever!
Let all of Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever”
Let the house of Aaron say “His steadfast love endures forever”
Let all who fear the Lord say “His steadfast love endures forever”
Surrounded by every nation, like bees set to sting, like a fire of thorns
Pushed to my limit I fell but the Lord has rescued me,
For He is my help I cut off all nations in the name of the Lord
The Lord is my strength, He is my song!
The Lord is God, he has given us light
(Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good)
The Lord is God, He has given us victory
(Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good)
I shall not die, but live
Announcing the deeds of the Lord
Open to me the gates of righteousness,
That I may go through, and give thanks to the Lord!

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Psalm 128   
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord
Who walks in His ways
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord
Who walks in His ways
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
Inside your home
Your children will be like olive plants
Around your table
And thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord
You shall eat the fruit of the labor
Of your hands
You shall be happy and it shall all be well with you
And thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord
The Lord bless you from Zion
All the days of your life!
May you see your children’s children
Peace be on Israel! Peace be on Israel!

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Psalm 16   
Preserve me O God, for in you I take refuge
I say to the Lord, you are my God.
Preserve me O God, for in you I take refuge
I have no good apart from you, you are my God.
The Lord is my chosen portion and cup
I bless the Lord who guides me
Choosing another multiplies sorrow
So I keep the Lord before me
The Lord in his wisdom leads me to glory
My heart and my soul rejoicing
With him at my right hand I am secure
The darkness will never engulf me
Show me the pathway to fullness of joy
In your presence are pleasures forever!

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JOE HAND "EVERTHING & NOTHING" CD
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Contact Joe & Jean-Ann:
joeandja@aol.com
p.o. box 210453
nashville, tn 37221
954.757.9898

Use the Psalms in
your everyday life!

Psalms Prayer
Journal

& other Psalms
items are here!

All Songs ©2005 McHand Publishing BMI
Psalms Produced by Joe Hand
at Joe Hand Music Productions, Nashville, TN

Join the Fan Club, Buy more CDs or Sheet Music at www.joehand.com.

For bookings call
Bob Bender at the ACME Agency 615-545-3832
or Joe's answering service at 954-757-9898

Many thanks and blessings to… The BIG G. From age to age, He is God. My wife and partner Jean Ann, my stink mutt Boo Radley, who thinks I'M God, my parents and family for all their encouragement and support, Bob Bender, Sarita Stewart, Gary McDaniels, Cathy and Mary Lynn at Hold Thyssen, Frank Conway and the entire Audio One crew, the boys at Broadway Music, Michael Bransfield, Muriel Anderson, Dr. Moore for keeping me aligned and working, Greg Ibert, Mina McKee, all the churches I've visited over the past few years, Lee Ganim, John Michael Talbot, Jim Cosgrove, Lynn Geyer, Brian Kelly, Clay Vann for the rented gear, Michael Korieba and Gear for Days for the other rented gear, all my production clients, Jack Cordwell for building a great studio to work in, and Scott Hammaker for the photos.

A very special thanks to the gifted musicians listed above, for taking the extra time and effort to make this CD really special. You rock.

A few thoughts on the Psalms: If you are wondering why I chose to do a "Psalms" project, I'll tell you. I was sitting in Church one day, listening to a cantor sing a truly miserable Psalm. It was AWFUL. She had the most beautiful voice... but the setting for this Psalm was dreadful. No earthly voice could save that song. I know of a couple of nice versions of psalms, but by and large, there aren't many. Most only take a couple of lines from the Psalm itself, and then the songwriter takes EXTREME liberty with the rest of it. It was time for a different approach. After conquering my fears about venturing into the political minefield that is Bible territory, I picked up Psalm 16, and it REALLY SPOKE TO ME. The line "I have no good apart from you" just blew me away. The song was done in 20 minutes. The recording took months, but the song itself was done quickly. If it matters to you, I compared various texts: the NIV, NRSV, ESV and the Ignatius Press Bible. These seem to be the most common, and the incredible thing is… the Psalms in each are dangerously close in translation. For all the differences in these texts, the Psalms had tons of common ground. So I embarked on my Psalms journey. My goal was to get as much of the text as possible into each without taking any "interpretive license". I hope the Lord is pleased with my attempt to set these ancient texts to modern music. This has been an incredible challenge, and (I believe) great success for me, musically and spiritually. On a personal note, I will say that if you have any issues with the text, please take it up with someone smarter than me. Ask lots of questions, but beware of anyone with answers. Peace and blessings to all of you.