Songs, Hymns & Music for Proper 25B / Ordinary 30B / Pentecost +23 (October 27 2024)

Job 42:1-6, 10-17 
Job asks forgiveness and God restores Job. Job lives a long life, including writing his daughters into the will.

• GA445 / G(II)421 / GC597 / GC(II)581 / G(3)676 I Say "Yes," Lord / Digo "Sí," Señor (Donna Peña) A simple song which speaks of sticking with God through good times and bad. Lyrics and sample sheet music. Sound sample. 
• NCH544 / MV076 / G(3)957 If I have been the source of pain, O God (Pablo Sosa) A song seeking forgiveness “If I’ve insisted on a peaceful life, far from the struggles that the gospel brings, when you prefer to guide me to the strife, Forgive me God". Lyrics. Sample sheet music and sound sample.
• Tune In / NCYC '07 / Online ResourceForgive us now (Dave Brown) This is one of the best songs seeking forgiveness that I know. "As we forgive, may we be healed”.  Sound samples, lyrics and free downloadable songbook.
• Taizé / A&M847 / GtG294 / G(II)456 / GC644 / PfAS088A / SP330 Within Our Darkest Night (Jacques Berthier) A lovely chant of continuing hope in the face of despair. Lyrics and sound samples. Good for kids.
• Online Resource / TiS 690 / CH259 / A&M557 / StS115 / SP237 / Srce54 / StF693 / MP806 Beauty for brokenness hope for despair (Graham Kendrick) Themes of healing from personal and universal suffering and an emotive chorus. “Refuge from cruel wars, havens from fear, cities for sanctuary, freedoms to share, peace to the killing-fields, scorched earth to green; Christ for the bitterness, his cross for the pain”. It's a bit schmaltzy, but satisfying. Lyrics, sound samples, purchasing options.
  
• CH114 / AA110 O threefold God of tender unity (Bill Wallace) Excellent inclusive Trinitarian words to a simple Celtic air. Lyrics (to a different tune)

Psalm 34:1-8, (19-22)  
I will bless the Lord at all times; (Taste and see the goodness of God).

• AoVK-24 / Iona (T1AU) / CH756 Bless the Lord / My sisters (Kenyan) Simple and fun Kenyan call and response. "Bless the Lord there is no other God" Kids would really enjoy this, and with some African drumming, it would really be excellent. Good for kids. Lyrics, sheet music.
• Online Resource Taste and see the goodness of the Lord (Rawn Harbor) A simple gospel refrain and cantored verses (the verses are not gender-inclusive for God); you can use the refrain with a reader if you don't have a cantor. Sound and sheet music samples and purchasing options.  
  
• TiS 706 / Taizé / AoV2-142 / A&M600 / SFFS 2013 / GtG544 / PH224 / GC(II)576 / G(3)620 / CP360 / PfAS103C / SP194 / Src79 / URW377 / Lau813  Bless the Lord my soul (Jacques Berthier) A beautiful and very well known Taizé chant. Sound samples, sheet music. Good for kids.
• Iona / CH788 / MV104 / GtG659 Know that God is Good / Mungu ni mwema (Traditional Congo) This traditional African refrain is just lots of fun and very simple to sing. Good for kids and adults! Sheet music sample. Sound sample. Sound sample in Kenyan languages.
• G(II)44 / GC46 I Will Bless the Lord (Normand Gouin) A nice contemporary cantored Psalm with inclusive lyrics. Sound sample. Sheet music. 
• TiS 73 / Taizé / CH77 / GA418 / GtG635 / G(II)364 / GC526 / GC(II)528 / G(3)623 / CP313 / Srce614 /  URW384 / Lau698 / LUYH591 / StF778 Laudate Dominum / Sing Praise And Bless The Lord (Jacques Berthier) One of the more jolly Taizé chants. I prefer it in Latin, but for kids, this one is quite good fun in English. Good for kids. Sound sample and parts for learning.
• Taizé / TiS 739 / AoV2-041 / ATOK 404 / VU290 / GA269 / SFFS 2054 / GtG820 / G(II)451 / GC639 / GC(II)626 / G(3)733 / CP568 / W&R421 / URW388 / Lau947 / LUYH444/ VF088 Nothing Can Trouble / Nada te turbe (Theresa of Avila / Taizé) Excellent and quite well known Taizé chant. Spanish lyrics are not too hard for non-Spanish speakers. Sheet music, sound samples, lyrics and translations. Good for kids. 
  
  Here's the taste and see part of the Psalm:
  
• Online Resource Taste and See the Lord is Good (Rob Leveridge) Pretty good lyrics that lead to communion. Very catchy! Youtube celebrating community. Sound sample, purchasing options. 
• Online Resource / VU460 / R181 / ELW461 / SFFS 2126 / GtG509 / G(II)589 / GC820 / GC(II)817 / RS 845 / Cha419 / Lau477 / LUYH534 All who hunger gather gladly (Sylvia Dunstan) The words are great; I would sing it to the tune HOLY MANNA. There is a contemporary tune (by Bob Moore) is also very nice, but may need to be introduced to your congregation. “All who hunger gather gladly, holy manna is our bread. Come from wilderness and wand’ring, here, in truth, we will be fed. You that yearn for days of fullness, all around us is our food. Taste and see the grace eternal, Taste and see that God is good”. Sound sample, sheet music sample, lyrics and purchasing options. New words to old tunes.
• G(II)602 / GC835 / G(3)917 O Taste and See (Marty Haugen) Inclusive cantor line. Groovy and simple gospel style refrain. Sound sample
• AoV1-067 Taste And See (Bob Hurd) Great chilled out jazzy tune for this passage. Cantor plus refrain. Sound samples and sheet music previews.  
• GA203 Taste and see God's love for us (Deidre Browne / Kevin Lenehan) This could be really good and is simple enough to use during distribution of communion. It's unusual, and has particular verses for various times in the church year. It has an ostinato refrain (very very simple) and cantored choruses. The words are particularly lovely for the verses. "come to me, come to me and drink deeply, freely, taste and see my love". Inclusive too. Sound sample (instrumental only). 
• VU761 / SFFS 2267 / GC(II)827 Taste and See (James Moore) Simple chant. Some versions have verses. Sheet music and lyrics.  
• TiS 22 / AHB 597 Taste and see the goodness of the Lord (Christopher Willcock) A nice simple response for this Psalm. Could be used with a cantor, or more simply, someone speaking the Psalm with the congregation joining with the response between each stanza. Formal sound sample and sheet music samples.
• AoV1-083 / GA036 / GtG763 / G(II)46 / GC48 / GC(II)33 / G(3)047 / PfAS082B / URW257 / Lau892 The Lord Hears the Cry of the Poor (James Foley) The chorus for this makes a very good refrain for this Psalm, as set in PfAS. Sound sample and lyrics (including verses).
• Iona (LFB) / Lau930 Listen Lord (John Bell / Graham Maule) Beautiful chant-like chorus, can be used on its own or as a response, or used with the verses. Good to use for the intercessions. “Listen Lord, Listen Lord, not to our words but to our prayers. You alone, you alone, understand and care.” Sound sample (including verses).
• Taizé / TiS 741 / AoV1-017 / ATE 282 / LBW368 / ELW407 / GA431 / SFFS 2200 / GtG471 / G(II)410 / GC586 / GC(II)566 / G(3)666 / W&R484 / Srce519 / URW390 / Lau929 / PfAS013A / PfAS102A / MP908 O Lord hear my prayer (Jacques Berthier) A simple and very well known Taizé chant. Works well during intercessions. You could read the Psalm between repeats of this chant, or just use as a chant as is. Sheet music samples. Good for kids.

Alternative Hebrew Scripture: Jeremiah 31:7-9   

Gathering the flock of Israel, redeeming them, and the celebration afterwards

• TiS474 / AoV1-012 / ATAR595 / CH623 / SFFS 2236 / HPP553 / A&M363 / GtG401 / G(II)539 / GC839 / GC(II)743 / G(3)848  / CP465 / W&R649 / Cha284 / SP175 / URW054 / Lau475 Here in this place new light is streaming / Gather us in (Marty Haugen). Excellent words, very well known. “Nourish us well and teach us to fashion lives that are holy and hearts that are true”. Lyrics, sound samples, sheet music.
• AoV2-139 /  GA525 / SP&P045 Gather us O God Body spirit soul and mind (Monica Brown) Very simple song. Would work well as a gathering chant "Gather us O God, Body, spirit, soul and mind. Gather us, O God, One in union now with you. Also works at the end of the service "Send us out O God.... Lyrics & sound sample.
• MV007 Gather us in ground us in you (David Hann) A simple chant which would be great for an invitation to worship. Lyrics & sheet music sample.
• AoV1-071 / GA530 / GC(II)742 / G(3)837 / Lau462 Gather Your People (Bob Hurd) Excellent eucharistic theology. Sound sample. Lyric and sheet music sample.
• TiS 647 / AoV2-012 / ATN 25 Comfort, comfort all my people (Robin Mann) Easy to sing, beautiful lyrics. Chorus is “Comfort, comfort all my people, with the comfort of my word. Speak ye tender to my people, all your sins are taken away”. Note that most sources only list 2 verses, but there are two additional (more challenging) verses you may wish to consider using written for the Christmas Bowl in 1988; thanks to Simon for alerting me to them. Lyrics (including additional verses), mp3 sample.
• AoVK-125 / ATW 489Turn our sadness upside down (Leigh Newton) Good for kids, and adults too. Simple tune, but not so simple that it’s boring. Lyrics (search in the page for "sadness"). Sheet music.
• Iona (There is one among us) Lord you can turn all mourning into dancing (John Bell) An excellent simple refrain “Lord you can turn all mourning into dancing, evenings of grief to mornings of great joy”. Sheet music sample (part of a large PDF with many other good songs).
• Tune In / Online Resource You in all our worries / All will finish well (Dave Brown) “In this world where injustice reigns, you are in the midst of pain”. Excellent words of reassurance in a difficult world. Free downloadable songbook.
• TiS 670 / SiS569 / AoVK-138 / ATE 258 / CH692 / Srce385 / MP376 Jesus put this song into our hearts (Graham Kendrick) A fun Yiddish tune that gets even more fun if you get faster and faster as you go. Try teaching your congregation a simple side to side “dance” step. If you teach them and make it clear that it’s okay, you’ll be surprised how many people will join in. Good for kids. Youtube.
•  MV221 I am walking a path of peace (Janet Tissandier) A simple song for the end of the service; words can be altered to paths of love, grace, hope, joy etc. Lyrics Good for kids.

Psalm for the Jeremiah reading: Psalm 126  
Those who sow in tears shall reap with joy

• TiS 647 / AoV2-012 / ATN 25 Comfort, comfort all my people (Robin Mann) Easy to sing, beautiful lyrics. Chorus is “Comfort, comfort all my people, with the comfort of my word. Speak ye tender to my people, all your sins are taken away”. Note that most sources only list 2 verses, but there are two additional (more challenging) verses you may wish to consider using; they were written for the Christmas Bowl in 1988. Thanks to Simon for alerting me to them. Lyrics (including additional verses), mp3 sample.
• CH683 / VU420 / A&M491 / GC(II)469 / G(3)546 / GtG295 / CP598 / W&R553 / SP156 / URW132 / Lau426 / StF402 Go to the world Go into all the earth (Sylvia Dunstan) Great words of sending out. Can be sung to a couple of different tunes. SINE NOMINE is the easiest and best known. Sound sample. Sheet music sample. New words to old tunes
• ATE 253 He turned my mourning into dancing This is not at all inclusive, but if you change the lyrics to make it addressed to God “You turned my morning into dancing”, it’s much much better. Youtube (by Sikal Kelep from PNG).
  
• Shout for Joy (Psalm Project) When we share God's dream (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) Nice words, especially if you read Desmond Tutu's book to the kids this week. Sound sample & purchasing options. Good for kids. 
• SFFS 2182 / CP583 / GtG074 / PfAS126E When God Restored Our Common Life (Ruth Duck)  Good words, based on Ps 126 to a familiar fairly upbeat shape note tune (RESIGNATION). Lyrics (scroll down) New words to old tunes.
• Iona (Common Ground) / CH257 Singing we gladly worship the Lord together (Traditional Guatemalan) This song has a simple and energetic chorus with a great rhythm, and sings of us "sowing seeds of peace and love" in a troubled world. Lyrics. Good for kids.
• TiS 177 / VU614 / Cha212 In suffering love the thread of life (Rob Johns) A more sombre choice, but comforting. Can be sung to a range of familiar tunes like LAND OF REST. Sheet music sample (in a large PDF - on page 3). New words to old tunes.
• PfAS126B Those who sow in tears and sorrow (Ladies of the Grail) A simple Psalm refrain. Nice chords.
• Shout for Joy (Psalm Project) Rivers in the desert (Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan) A nice way to present this Psalm to the congregation; this would work well during the offering.  Youtube.
• CH541 Lord I pray if today (Jean Keegstra-DeBoer) Very simple words, quite child-like, but memorable. Lyrics.
• PfAS126A / URW325 When God first brought us back from exile (Carl P Daw) Good words based on the Psalm, and it's sung to WAYFARING STRANGER, which is a very cool tune. Lyrics New words to old tunes.
• Online resource Those who sow in tears (Bruce Harding) A simple, joyful round. Sound sample and free sheet music. Good for kids.
• NCH461 Let us hope when hope seems hopeless (David Beebe) A lilting tune and good words of hope in the face of difficulty. A song of a maturing faith. Sound sample (long introduction).
• VU023 / CP104 Joy shall come even to the wilderness (Israeli traditional) A traditional Israeli song. Excellent words and the tune is cool. Lyrics.
• G(II)110 / GC124 / GC(II)69 / URW326 God Has Done Great Things for Us (Marty Haugen) Lovely words “God has done great things for us. Filled us with laughter and music”. I really like this. Both the cantor part and the refrain are inclusive. Would work well also with the Psalm being read between the refrains. Sheet music and sound sample
• VU850 We praise the one who gave the growth, with voices full and strong (Southern Harmony) A joyful Psalm refrain. It would be good for a Harvest Thanksgiving too. 
• Online Resource Hidden Hallelujah (Christopher Grundy) This is not a congregational song. It is a powerful song about the hope of joy to come for those who are facing extreme difficulty (sex trafficking, racial bias in the criminal justice system, transgender acceptance). Lyrics, video and link to purchasing options. 

Hebrews 7:23-28
Christ as the perfect high priest. It's hard to find inclusive hymns that fit passages like this... 
You may want to sing an Alleluia.

• TiS 732 Lift up your hearts unto the Lord (Linda Stassen-Benjamin) This week, the phrase “In Christ the world has been redeemed” is particularly fitting. You could skip or keep vs 4 “Therefore we celebrate the feast”. This has a beautiful descant part, which should be used. Sound sample (with different lyrics).
  
• TiS 387 / CH416 / UMH318 / VU158 / LBW363 / ELW389 / A&M199 / GtG246 / PH108 / CP(E) 140 / W&R312 / 82Hml-182 / Lau272 / StF297 Christ is alive Let Christians sing (Brian Wren) Excellent words of Christ's saving, and still relevant grace. A couple of tunes are offered in different hymn books. I prefer TRURO. Lyrics and sheet music samples.  New words to old tunes.
• NCH565 / LBW408 / ELW678 / GtG716 / PH422 / CP601 / W&R572 / Cha606 / URW091 God whose giving knows no ending (Robert Edwards) Excellent more formal words of thanks for God's many good gifts to us. Can be sung to a range of tunes including BEACH SPRING, HYFRYDOL, AUSTRIAN HYMN, RUSTINGTON. Lyrics and sheet music. New words to old tunes.
• ATW 459 I don't believe in a God up in the sky / God Version 1.0(Robin Mann) An excellent rock song about how we think about God, or not! Lyrics and mp3. Good for kids.
• TiS 720 / AHB 295 / AoVK-85 / AoV2-046 / ATOK 319 / NCH236 / Iona (Many & Great, There is one among us) / CH345 / VU958 / StJ / A&M836 / SFFS 2026 / HPP571 / GtG591 / GC(II)261 / G(3)329 / W&R005 / Cha041 / ZSS76 / SP324 / PfAS150G / URW370 >/ Lau178 Halle halle hallelujah (Traditional Caribbean) A good Alleluia would work well for this passage, and I think this one is particularly excellent – simple, great for kids, good rhythm. Good for kids. Sound sample.

Mark 10:46-52 
Healing of Bartimaeus
Might be nice to use a Kyrie during the intercessory prayers, or as reflective post-sermon music.  

• TiS 728 Jesucristo reina reina ya (Unknown) This fun chorus from Argentina is just lots of fun, and our congregation hasn't sung it for a while (although the musicians often play it!). Sound sample. Good for kids.
• TiS 633 / AHB 563 Lord we are blind; the world of sight (David Edge) Beautiful formal words. The tune is not immediately singable, but is very beautiful. If you have musicians who could sing this for the congregation, that would be excellent. Sound sample.
  
• TiS 638 / NCH175 / CH717 / A&M518 / GtG793 / PH380 / UMH265 / LBW380 / ELW675 / PH380 / CP291 / CP(E) 346 / W&R638 / Cha503 / Lau430 / StF653 O Christ the healer we have come (Fred Pratt Green) Beautiful words and simple to sing. Good for intercessions. I like the tune INVERCARRY best. Lyrics and sheet music samples
• TiS 579 / ATN 23 / GtB The blind man sat by the road and he cried / The Blind Man (Anon) "O-o-o-o-o Show me the wa-a-a-ay! Show me the wa-a-a-ay! Show me the wa-a-a-ay, the way to go home". Video of very enthusiastic actions (not sure I like them, but you could adapt them for your kids!). Good for kids.
• Online resource The Blind Man (Bruce Harding) An excellent, relaxed, gospel-blues rendition of this passage. Free sheet music. 
• TiS 210 / AHB 141 / NCH42 / CH352 / UMH57 / VU326 / LBW42 / ELW295 / A&M742 / HPP74 / GtG610 / PH466 / CP306 / CP(E) 534 / W&R96 / Cha005 / Srce506 / 82Hml-493 / StF364 / MP496 O for a thousand tongues to sing (Charles Wesley) A classic. I particularly love NATIVITY for these words, and it's such a fun tune. Be careful with the words "ye dumb". Voices United has "Hear him you deaf, you voiceless ones, your tongues again employ" which is more respectful. We totally rocked this at church camp once! Lyrics and one possible tune. Oldy-but-a-goody.
• TiS 90 / AHB 44 / UMH60 / VU867 / GtG806 / PH253 / A&M673 / CP346 / CP(E) 473 / W&R79 / Cha20 / PfAS146A / 82Hml-429 / StF079 / MP320 I'll praise my Maker while I've breath (Isaac Watts) A great classic hymn. Most sources are not inclusive; Voices United and Chalice hymnal are! Lyrics and sheet music. Oldy-but-a-goody.
• TiS 748 / GtB There once was a man as mean as could be (Digby Hannah) Good song for kids and great for this passage when you get to verse 2 “Blind Bartimaeus, as we all will agree, was wise to keep shouting as loud as could be….”. Good for kids.
• SP&P050 Jesus Son of David have mercy on me (Schmidt) A simple, repetitive song which starts with "Jesus Son of David Have Mercy on Me". A good alternative to a Kyrie. 
• CH350 / UMH263 / VU358 / StS044 When Jesus the healer passed through Galilee (Peter Smith) A simple song with many verses (you don't have to sing all of them!), and a simple "Heal us, heal us today" refrain. This would be good for kids or those who can't read, as they'll be able to join in easily. Verse 4 is particularly appropriate "When blind Bartimaeus cried out to the Lord, Heal us, heal us today, his faith made him whole and his sight was restored. Heal us, Lord Jesus". Lyrics. Good for kids.

What ideas do you have? If you have some suggestions for any of the above readings, please join the conversation and post them in the comments below. I'd love to know what you're singing (or would like to sing...)    
(Written in Los Angeles, updated in Melbourne during the 6th coronavirus lockdown, then again on a normal sunny afternoon in Melbourne)