40 Days of Chant Psalm 18

I am behind.  My cold returned with a vengeance, and my fuzzy medicated brain just could not come up with chord progressions.  So, today is catch up day, starting with Psalm 18.  This is the longest psalm I have done so far.  The prayer book splits it into two parts (vv. 1-20, 21-50).  Sticking with the prayer book's division I wrote two double chants.  Hopefully that is enough chord changes to maintain interest in a psalm this long.  The first one is in C-maj because the psalm is offering thanksgiving to God. I wrote the second part in E-maj because versus 21-50 still have a positive tone but it shifts toward praise instead of gratitude.  I also used less sevenths and ninths in the second chant to give it a more open feel.

1 I love you, O Lord my strength, * 

     O Lord my stronghold, my crag, and my haven. 

2 My God, my rock in whom I put my trust, * 

     my shield, the horn of my salvation, and my refuge; you are worthy of praise. 

3 I will call upon the Lord, * 

     and so shall I be saved from my enemies. 

4 The breakers of death rolled over me, * 

     and the torrents of oblivion made me afraid. 

5 The cords of hell entangled me, * 

     and the snares of death were set for me. 

6 I called upon the Lord in my distress * 

     and cried out to my God for help. 

7 He heard my voice from his heavenly dwelling; * 

     my cry of anguish came to his ears.

8 The earth reeled and rocked; * 

     the roots of the mountains shook; 

     they reeled because of his anger. 

9 Smoke rose from his nostrils 

     and a consuming fire out of his mouth; * 

     hot burning coals blazed forth from him. 

10 He parted the heavens and came down * 

     with a storm cloud under his feet. 

11 He mounted on cherubim and flew; * 

     he swooped on the wings of the wind. 

12 He wrapped darkness about him; * 

     he made dark waters and thick clouds his pavilion. 

13 From the brightness of his presence, 

     through the clouds, * 

     burst hailstones and coals of fire. 

14 The Lord thundered out of heaven; * 

     the Most High uttered his voice. 

15 He loosed his arrows and scattered them; * 

     he hurled thunderbolts and routed them. 

16 The beds of the seas were uncovered, 

     and the foundations of the world laid bare, * 

      at your battle cry, O Lord, 

      at the blast of the breath of your nostrils. 

17 He reached down from on high and grasped me; * 

     he drew me out of great waters. 

18 He delivered me from my strong enemies 

     and from those who hated me; * 

     for they were too mighty for me. 

19 They confronted me in the day of my disaster; * 

      but the Lord was my support.

20 He brought me out into an open place; * 

      he rescued me because he delighted in me.

21 The Lord rewarded me because of my righteous dealing; * 

     because my hands were clean he rewarded me; 

22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord * 

     and have not offended against my God; 

23 For all his judgments are before my eyes, * 

     and his decrees I have not put away from me; 

24 For I have been blameless with him * 

     and have kept myself from iniquity; 

25 Therefore the Lord rewarded me 

     according to my righteous dealing, * 

     because of the cleanness of my hands in his sight. 

26 With the faithful you show yourself faithful, O God; * 

     with the forthright you show yourself forthright. 

27 With the pure you show yourself pure, * 

     but with the crooked you are wily. 

28 You will save a lowly people, * 

     but you will humble the haughty eyes. 

29 You, O Lord, are my lamp; * 

     my God, you make my darkness bright. 

30 With you I will break down an enclosure; * 

     with the help of my God I will scale any wall. 

31 As for God, his ways are perfect; 

     the words of the Lord are tried in the fire; * 

     he is a shield to all who trust in him.

32 For who is God, but the Lord? * 

    who is the Rock, except our God? 

33 It is God who girds me about with strength * 

    and makes my way secure. 

34 He makes me sure-footed like a deer * 

    and lets me stand firm on the heights. 

35 He trains my hands for battle * 

    and my arms for bending even a bow of bronze. 

36 You have given me your shield of victory; * 

    your right hand also sustains me; 

    your loving care makes me great. 

37 You lengthen my stride beneath me, * 

    and my ankles do not give way. 

38 I pursue my enemies and overtake them; * 

    I will not turn back till I have destroyed them. 

39 I strike them down, and they cannot rise; * 

    they fall defeated at my feet. 

40 You have girded me with strength for the battle; * 

    you have cast down my adversaries beneath me; 

    you have put my enemies to flight. 

41 I destroy those who hate me; t

    hey cry out, but there is none to help them; * 

    they cry to the Lord, but he does not answer. 

42 I beat them small like dust before the wind; * 

    I trample them like mud in the streets. 

43 You deliver me from the strife of the peoples; * 

    you put me at the head of the nations. 

44 A people I have not known shall serve me; 

   no sooner shall they hear than they shall obey me; * 

   strangers will cringe before me.

45 The foreign peoples will lose heart; * 

    they shall come trembling out of their strongholds. 

46 The Lord lives! Blessed is my Rock! * 

    Exalted is the God of my salvation! 

47 He is the God who gave me victory * 

    and cast down the peoples beneath me. 

48 You rescued me from the fury of my enemies; 

   you exalted me above those who rose against me; * 

   you saved me from my deadly foe. 

49 Therefore will I extol you among the nations, O Lord, * 

    and sing praises to your Name. 

50 He multiplies the victories of his king; * 

    he shows loving-kindness to his anointed, 

    to David and his descendants for ever.