You can find a YouTube playlist here with many of the songs suggested below.
Gathering
The declaration by Simon Peter of Jesus as the Messiah would link well to opening with songs which celebrate this, with a range of styles including classic hymns such as The Lord is King lift up your voice (CH 129 / MP 656), Rejoice! the Lord is King (CH 449 / MP 575) and Jesus shall reign where’er the sun (CH 470 / MP 379), songs better suited to bands such as My Jesus, my Saviour / Shout to the Lord (CH 531 / MP 1003 / CCLI) and All hail King Jesus (CCLI) while Clap your hands, all you nations (PFAS 47D / GSW) from West Africa can work with a variety of instrumentations or unaccompanied.
Word
CH4 offers us two paraphrases of today’s psalm, both set to the wonderful Genevan Reformation tune Old 124th, with Now Israel may say, and that truly (CH 84) well suited to congregations who prefer older translations of scripture, while Now let’s God’s people, let God’s Israel (CH 85) offers more contemporary language. Bands could use either He's on our side (Kimbrough) or the folky If God had not been on our side (Scheer). The latter can be linked with Our help (Scheer) with this also being an option if you want to sing the psalm responsorially.
Response
The Gospel can focus on the naming of Jesus as the Messiah with songs such as There is a Redeemer (CH 559 / MP 673), He is Lord, he is Lord (CH 443) or God, we praise you. God, we bless you (CH 120), although there are likely to be many more options in every congregation’s repertoire. Another angle could be to focus on the establishment of the church with songs such as The Church’s one foundation (CH 739 / MP 640), I will build my church (MP 305) and The church is wherever God’s people are praising (CH 522).
The latter theme links strongly to the Epistle and the exploration of the church as one body with many parts and you could consider some of the same songs as well as One is the body (CH 679), I am the church, you are the church (CH 204), We are many parts (GIA) and One church, one voice (Satellite). Quirky, queer, and wonderful (GIA) would be an interesting option for those wanting to explore what this passage means in terms of diversity.
While the Old Testament passage ends with the birth of Moses, it mainly focuses on the role of women and so you could use songs which look at the important roles played by women in the Bible such as There is a line of women (WGRG), sung to the Seven joys of Mary, which mentions Shiphrah and Puah, O God of truth and glory (link), sung to Aurelia, which mentions Pharaoh’s daughter, or A mother lined a basket (Hymnary) which focuses on Moses’ mother letting him go. If you are looking at the order to kill the Hebrew boys then you could consider God weeps at love withheld (CH 168), There is a place prepared for little children (CH 746) or When Pharaoh came for children (GIA) which links this story to the similar story from the nativity.
Sending
The Epistle offers us a great sending theme if we acknowledge the many gifts we all have and how we can use these to bring about God’s kingdom. Songs that link well to this in various ways include Here and now we’re bound together (Jubilate) which can be sung to many well known tunes, Go in grace and make disciples (CH 682), As a fire is meant for burning (CH 252), Longing for light, we wait in darkness / Christ be our light (CH 543 / MP 1201), God of all comfort (Resound) and Mission’s Flame (CCLI).
Comments