Psalm 4 – Reflection and Hymn/Song

by Chris Hancock · Published March 4, 2023 · Updated March 8, 2023

This reflection and hymns on Psalm 4 have been sitting in the draft section of the website for quite a while.

I think I said on day two of the Lent reflections that I write a lot of hymns and most of them never get written down. Here are two which did. One a re-write of an Isaac Watts hymn and one of my own both for Psalm 4

For the first three Psalms I tried, when recording them, to find some suitable background music to enhance the recording of the reading of the Psalm. After using a few instrumental tracks I felt I would like to find for a suitable hymn in order to use the tune for the recording. In doing so I decided to look at some of Isaac Watts settings for the Psalms.

These have fallen out of use for a number of reasons. There are so many new hymns, singing of the Psalms has ceased to be our normal practice and they are perhaps a little “old fashioned” for today’s world etc. However, in looking at them again I do think that they are absolutely beautiful poetry. Inspired in the mind of one of our pantheon of exceptional hymn writers.

For this reflection I have used his “An Evening Psalm” setting for Psalm 4. Below are the original words and – taking a deep breath – a version where I have taken the liberty of updating the language and some of the terminology used. I hope this still encompasses the imagery Isaac Watts was placing into the worshipers mind as they sang his original version.

Reflection

Psalm 4 speaks vividly to me of my prayer life. Which, I see as a quiet conversation with God whilst wrapped up in his presence. That conversation happening in the quiet times of our day and equally in the maelstrom of the busy parts. Prayer has many facets it can be a preparation for the day, a guide during the day, a reflective place at the end of the day, a place to ask for help and guidance and so many others. Constant in all of them is that increased feeling of connection with God.

Whilst I was reflecting on this Psalm, I listened to a daily reflection in which the speaker used a phrase which both struck me and felt as if it fitted neatly into the theme and “feel” of Psalm 4.

The phrase was – “Seeing leads to wonder and wonder leads to worship”. These few short words led me to re-imagine the Psalm in a short poem and then to write a short hymn of my own based on the Psalmists words which then turned into a longer hymn! The refrain contains the line “In awe and wonder I worship you..” The tune is a Scottish lament – “Hector the Hero” by SJ Skinner written in 1903.

Likewise, in the Isaac Watts hymn in the original words Watts uses the phrase “I fear before thee all the day”. Fear in this context is not the dread of something bad but rather the feeling of absolute and complete awe as we consider God and his relationship with us. I thus changed the line to “In awe I worship you all day”.

I am not sure, that in my own life, I manage to achieve that “all day worship” but at many points in the day, in prayer, in interactions with people and in the things I see. So often these things all speak to me of God and I am filled with awe.

As my family will tell you, I am not prone to emotional outbursts. However, when we visited the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, as we entered the body of the church, I was overcome with what I can only describe as awe and wonder. So much so, that tears began to leak from my eyes. The sheer size of the worship space, the natural forms embraced in the architecture, the streaming light through simple coloured glass and a feeling of the presence of God all combined to create that awe. When I read this Psalm, I think that it is the awe in their relationship with God that the Psalmist is trying to articulate.

Hymns

Below are the words and some recordings of the “new” words to two tunes. The first a traditional setting for the words. The tune is MARTYRDOM and the second an Irish traditional tune “Fainní Ní Poer” which I came across and which fits the feel I was trying to achieve with the words in the more modern setting. I cannot impose too much on the music group so only me and a public domain backing track on that one!

Below that is a version of the hymn I composed just me and my guitar on that one.

Isaac Watts (1674 – 1748)

1 Lord! thou wilt hear me when I pray;
I am forever thine;
I fear before thee all the day,
Nor would I dare to sin.

2 And while I rest my weary head,
From cares and business free;
‘Tis sweet conversing on my bed,
With my own heart and thee.

3 I pay this ev’ning sacrifice;
And, when my work is done,
Great God, my faith and hope relies
Upon thy grace alone.

4 Thus with my thoughts compos’d to peace,
I’ll give mine eyes to sleep;
Thy hand in safety keeps my days,
And will my slumbers keep!

Public Domain

Re-imagined by Chris Hancock

1 Lord! You do hear me when I pray;
I am forever yours;
In awe I worship you all day,
And strive to do no wrong

2 And when I rest my weary head,
From cares and turmoil free;
‘Tis in those moments on my bed,
My soul it speaks with thee.

3 I offer prayer as sacrifice;
And, when my work is done,
Great God, my faith and hope relies
Upon your grace alone.

4 Thus with my thoughts compos’d to peace,
I’ll give my eyes to sleep;
Your hand in safety keeps my days,
And will my night hours keep!

CC0

Chris’s words version – Hymn Tune – MARTYRDOM

Music group playing and singing.

Chris’s words version to Traditional Tune – “Fainní Ní Poer”

Rough mix Chris only singing and interspersed with a reading of the Psalm.

A poem based on Psalm 4

Lord, hear me as I pray, as you have called me to
To bring my hopes, desires and fears, as offerings to you
A humble soul, that opens up and gives its all to you
In daylight and as night time falls, in awe of all you do
At night I rest upon my bed and give the thanks you’re due
I count my blessings from the day and offer praise to you
I do not need what others want, enough I have with you
As daylight fades, I fall asleep, held close and safe by you

Chris Hancock

An evening hymn based on Psalm 4

Lord, when I rest my weary head
The cares of day released
I in your presence place myself
My God, source of peace.
And when I close my tired eyes
I in your presence rest
For you are with me all my days
And you will guard my sleep

Chris Hancock

An Evening Hymn based on Psalm 4 version 2

Just Chris and his guitar!

As this is an evening song I really should re-record it at a slightly slower speed and with gentler finger picking guitar. Something for the future…

Lord, when I come to you in prayer
At the end of a busy day
I nestle safely in your arms
And I just talk to you there

I speak of my love and my awe of you
Speak of my cares and concerns
You accept all the prayers that I offer to you
For I know that you call me to prayer

For you are the Lord of heaven and earth
Lord of my days and my nights
In awe and wonder I worship you
You are the Lord of my life.

Lord, when I rest my weary head
The cares of my day released
I in your presence place myself
My God, the source of my peace