ALL THE ENDS OF THE EARTH SHALL TURN TO YOU

(A Liturgical Setting of Psalm 22, verses 22-30 for soloist and congregation, by Michael Lehr)

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This is the psalm set in the Revised Common Lectionary for the second Sunday in Lent, and we had been going to read it. About 5 minutes before the start of worship I decided to try a sung congregational response, with the rest still being read by two readers alternately.

Actually during worship I felt the desire to ‘ad lib’ some keyboard chords over the readings. It seemed to work so well that I decided to formalise the chord structure later. In fact, what happened was that I found myself writing a full musical setting, which was quite a challenge given the very uneven metre! I don't think it works at all badly, but of course the chords alone could still be used as originally intended.

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Words (The Bible - New Standard Revised Version)

Respond: All the ends of the earth shall turn to you, O Lord.

Praise the Lord, you that fear him;
stand in awe of him, O offspring of Israel;
all you of Jacob's line, give glory.
For he does not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty;
neither does he hide his face from them;
but when they cry to him he hears them.

All the ends of the earth ...

My praise is of him in the great assembly;
I will perform my vows
in the presence of those who worship him.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied,
and those who seek the Lord shall praise him:
“May your heart live for ever!”

All the ends of the earth ...

All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations shall bow before him.
For kingship belongs to the Lord;
he rules over the nations.

All the ends of the earth ...

To him alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in worship;
all who go down to the dust fall before him.
My soul shall live for him;
my descendants shall serve him;
they shall be known as the Lord’s for ever.
They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn
the saving deeds that he has done.

All the ends of the earth shall turn to you, O Lord.

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