Write metrical settings of all 150 Psalms

Here is Psalm 4 (King James Version):

Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.
But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.
Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.
There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

And the meager scratchings of a guy who names himself after a cartoon:

Psalm 4
Cries ascend to thee,
the Lord of righteousness.
Shower me with mercy,
save me from distress.
That which is my glory
people call my shame;
They who’s trust is given
to another’s name.

God above has set
His holy ones apart;
He alone shall hear the
pleadings of our hearts.
Do not sin in anger,
search thy heart instead;
Offer it to Him and
in His love be led.

Many only see the
evil of the world.
Let the light of mercy
shine on them, O Lord.
Thou hast given joy, and
grain, and newest wine;
Thou alone our comfort,
all of us are thine.

King James Version text:

Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.
Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.
But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.
I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.
Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

I’m still no Isaac Watts, but this one turned out better than some of my other attempts. Perhaps because I had one of my favorite tunes in mind:

Psalm 3
Lord, how my enemies
rise up each day.
All of the world tells me:
“God shall not save!”
But I know better
for You are my shield;
To your protection
my safety I yield.

I cry aloud and you
answer my prayer;
When I am sleeping,
I know you are there.
Thousands of foes shall not
cause me to fear;
God shall sustain me,
to Him I draw near.

Rise and deliver, O Lord,
I beseech;
Strike down my foes, keep me
safe from their reach.
Father in Heaven,
deliver me now;
Save me, for humbly
before you I bow.

Here’s Psalm 2 from KJV:

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.
Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Ok, now here’s my feable attempt at a metrical setting:

Why do the nations all conspire,
her peoples plot in vain?
The kings of earth shall take their stand
against our good Lord’s name.
“Let’s break the chains that bind us,”
say the rulers of this world.
The Lord in Heaven scoffs for all
the foolish things he’s heard.
Our God rebukes their wickedness
with terrifying wrath:
“My own shall rule in Zion;
those who walk the righteous path.”
The Lord’s decrees shall I proclaim,
for He has called me “son.”
he speaks within my heart and says:
“Your Father I’ve become.
So ask of me what e’er you will,
and I will make it yours;
The nations your inheritance.”
His blessings he out-pours.
“Before your scepter they shall break
apart as pots of clay.
You’ll rule them with an iron hand,
Your words they will obey.”
Therefore be wise, o kings;
be warry, princes of the land.
With fear and trembling give our God
the service of your hands.
Treat all the sons of God with love
les you should raise His ire.
But blessed you will be if you
make Him your one desire.

Here’s the text for Psalm 1 from the King James Bible:

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Here’s my setting (bear in mind that I make to claims of poetic greatness or even goodness. I am doing this as a meditative/spiritual exercise):

Blessed is the one who chooseth
not to walk in sinners’ paths,
nor reclineth with the scornful,
nor consults the wicked man.

He delighteth in the laws of
God, enthron’d in Heav’n above;
On His blessed statutes thinketh,
Laws of goodness, truth, and love.

One who fears the Lord is planted
by the water’s living streams’
Yielding fruit in every season,
everlasting leaves of green.

Not so are ungodly people,
blown about the air as dust;
They shall never with the righteous
stand in judgement of the just.

Paths of wickedness shall perish,
never shall the evil rest;
But the pathways of the righteous
shall be now and ever blest.

The biblical book of Psalms is filled with 150 of the greatest spiritual poems (songs, really) in history. Though the Psalms were originally set to music, their english translations do not follow any particular meter or rhyme. It has long been a Christian tradition to write metrical settings of these poems to be sung with familiar hymn tunes. I am certainly no great poet. I’m really not even a good one. But as a meditative/spiritual exercise, I’ve become interested in this project.

Here, as an example, is the text of Psalm 23, as it appears in the King James Bible:

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
he leadeth me in the paths of
righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me
in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil;
my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

And here is a famous metrical setting of the same Psalm (Psalm 23) by Isaac Watts:

My shepherd will supply my need,
Jehovah is his name;
In pastures fresh he makes me feed,
Beside the living stream.
He brings my wand’ring spirit back
When I forsake his ways;
And leads me, for his mercy’s sake,
In paths of truth and grace.
When I walk through the shades of death,
Thy presence is my stay;
A word of thy supporting breath
Drives all my fears away.
Thy hand, in sight of all my foes,
Doth still my table spread,
My cup with blessings overflows,
Thine oil anoints my head.
The sure provisions of my God
Attend me all my days:
O may thy house be mine abode,
And all my work be praise!
There would I find a settled rest,
While others go and come;
No more a stranger or a guest,
But like a child at home.