You can find a YouTube playlist here with many of the songs suggested below.
Gathering
There aren’t many strong gathering themes in the readings today so you could consider songs on the theme of light and morning as we move through Epiphany towards the Transfiguration. Some classic hymns include Awake my soul and with the sun (CH 210 / MP 804), Be thou my vision (CH 465 / MP 51) and Jesus shall reign where’er the sun (CH 470 / MP 379) while more contemporary options could be Here in this place new light is streaming / Gather us in (CH 623), Open the eyes of my heart (MP 1100 / CCLI), 10,000 reasons (Bless the Lord) (GWA 15 / CCLI / MP 1259) and Way Maker (GWA 146 / CCLI).
Word
How blest are those who do not stray (CH 1) is a good metrical paraphrase of the psalm while Happy is the one (WGRG) would be an alternative option. There are also two interesting songs from other parts of the world. Happy are they who walk in God’s wise way (PFAS 1C / STB 87) from Thailand is set to a beautiful pentatonic melody and can be accompanied by finger cymbals and drum for an authentic sound. May this church be like a tree / Que esta iglesia sea un árbol (GWA 203 / GIA) by the Argentinian composer Pablo Sosa isn’t a paraphrase but relates to v3 and asks that the church may be like a tree growing by the living water which flows from God. It would be best suited to a soloist singing the verses and the congregation joining in with the chorus, potentially even in Spanish!
Response
Blessed are you, the poor ones (GIA) is a great option for the Gospel as it’s one of the few songs which picks up on the woes in the passage. There is some overlap between the Beatitudes found in Matthew 5 and the Blessings and Woes in today’s passage from Luke and so some songs that are based on Matthew would still be worth considering here, perhaps with select verses, such as Hey my love (WGRG), Blessed are the poor in spirit (Carolyn), Beati voi poveri / How blessed the poor in heart (Taizé), Blessed (link) and Blessed are the humble (CCLI / Kendrick). There are also songs which pick up on the themes in the blessings such as The hope of the poor (The Lord is a home for all the oppressed) (GWA 1 / Kimbrough), Heaven shall not wait (CH 362) and Beauty for brokenness / God of the poor (CH 259 / MP 806).
The Epistle would link to lots of Easter songs such as The Saviour died, but rose again (CH 425), Christ is alive! Let Christians sing (CH 416), Christ has risen while earth slumbers (CH 430), We know that Christ is raised and dies no more (CH 635) and Christ was raised (Resound). There are also some great short songs such as The Lord is risen from the dead (CH 797) and Jesus the Lord, has risen / Surrexit Dominus vere (CH 794) which are both simple rounds.
The Old Testament obviously links to the psalm and May this church be like a tree / Que esta iglesia sea un árbol (GWA 203 / GIA) by the Argentinian composer Pablo Sosa would also be very appropriate to consider here, as it uses the tree as a metaphor for the church. Your word, O Lord (Resound) and the spiritual and protest song We shall not be moved (Hymnary) are also rooted in this passage. There are some great short songs that would link to v.8 such as Do not be afraid (CH 191), Don't be afraid (WGRG), Nada de turbe / Nothing can trouble (Taizé) and Let all who are thirsty come (GWA 184 / Taizé). If you are looking a Jeremiah more broadly you could also use In ages past the mighty Lord (Song of the Prophets) (GWA 29 / CCLI) vv.1,3,18.
Sending
There is a general theme in the reading of living our lives in a way that is faithful to God’s teaching. Who would true valour see (CH 535 / MP 224) and Courage, brother! do not stumble (CH 513) are both about sticking to this whatever challenges are thrown at you while Your hand, O God, has guided (CH 511 / MP 705), Hear the call of the kingdom (GWA 138 / MP 1282 / CCLI / Getty) and Build my life (CCLI) are more general songs about committing to follow God’s way. There are also some great African songs about walking with God such as Sizohamba naye / We will walk with God (CH 803), Ewe thina / We walk his way (WGRG) or Siyahamba / We are marching (CH 516 / MP 954).
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