22

Rejoice, You Righteous, in the Lord (Psalm 33)

Scripture References

Quoted or directly alluded to:

Further Reflections on Scripture References

Stanza 1 refers to God’s work of hanging the heavens and laying the sea and land, a clear reference to the work described in Genesis 1.

A reference to “every nation, every land” in stanza 2 reminds us of the intial promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3.  We also hear the call to the nations of the world in Psalms 97 and 99.

In stanza 3, the reference to God’s watchful eye through all the ages calls to mind the testimony of Psalm 90.

22

Rejoice, You Righteous, in the Lord (Psalm 33)

Call to Worship

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
those he redeemed from trouble
and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.
Some wandered in desert wastes,
finding no way to an inhabited town;
hungry and thirsty,
their soul fainted within them.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress;
he led them by a straight way,
until they reached an inhabited town.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.
For he satisfies the thirsty,
and the hungry he fills with good things.
—Psalm 107:1-9, NRSV
— Worship Sourcebook Edition Two

Words of Praise

We gather in your presence, King of the universe,
to acclaim your great salvation.
You have done marvelous things.
You rescued your people from sin and death,
through the mighty work of Jesus, your Son.
You send missionaries to the ends of the earth.
You raise up prophets to witness to justice.
You reveal your righteousness to the nations.
Send forth your Spirit, Lord;
renew the face of the earth.
The whole earth rejoices.
Waves crash over waves in echoes of praise.
Rivers proclaim your goodness as they cascade against their beds.
Mountains, standing together as a chorus, declare your faithfulness.
Wind whispering through the leaves makes music to you.
Creatures of all shapes and sizes join in the song.
Into this glorious harmony
send forth your Spirit, Lord;
renew the face of the earth.
We too raise our voices, almighty God.
With all the earth, we shout for joy.
We burst into jubilant song
for the marvelous things you have done.
For your faithfulness, for your love, for your salvation,
for the promise of your return in glory,
we make music to you, our Lord and King.
While we wait for your coming,
send forth your Spirit, Lord;
renew the face of the earth. Amen.
—based on Psalm 98; 104:30
— Worship Sourcebook Edition Two

Additional Prayers

Creating and redeeming God, you made our hearts to sing
and in Jesus Christ you teach us new songs.
Teach us also to wait with patience and hope for that promised victory
when all peoples return to you;
for Christ is Lord of all, and in his name we pray. Amen.
— Psalms for All Seasons (http://www.psalmsforallseasons.org)
The heavens declare your glory, great God.
Thank you for the works of your hands,
for the moon and the stars,
for the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea.
Thank you for crowning us with glory and honor
and for making us rulers over the works of your hands.
Help us to care for your creation.
May we respect the land and animals
as we use resources carefully and gratefully.
Thank you too, God our Father, for creating humanity in your image,
for knitting us together in our mother’s wombs.
Thank you for knowing us so intimately
that you know when a hair falls from our heads.
May our love for others reflect your love for us.
Help us to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless,
support the sick, and comfort the lonely. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
— Worship Sourcebook Edition Two
A Prayer of Joy and Thanks
 
Great God, you laid the pillars of the earth.
We rejoice and give thanks.
Light shines from all your works.
We rejoice and give thanks.
Underneath us are your everlasting arms.
We rejoice and give thanks in Jesus’ name. Amen.
— Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.
22

Rejoice, You Righteous, in the Lord (Psalm 33)

Tune Information

Name
ELLACOMBE
Key
A♭ Major
Meter
8.6.8.6 D

Recordings

22

Rejoice, You Righteous, in the Lord (Psalm 33)

Hymn Story/Background

Published in a chapel hymnal for the Duke of Würtemberg (Gesangbuch der Herzogl, 1784), ELLACOMBE (the name of a village in Devonshire, England) was first set to the words "Ave Maria, klarer und lichter Morgenstern." During the first half of the nine­teenth century various German hymnals altered the tune. Since ELLACOMBE's inclu­sion in the 1868 Appendix to Hymns Ancient and Modern, where it was set to John Daniell's children's hymn "Come, Sing with Holy Gladness," its use throughout the English-speaking world has spread.
— Bert Polman
The text is slightly revised from my original setting of Psalm 33 in the Psalter for Christian Worship. The Psalter for Christian Worship (1999; revised, 2010) was written for my congregation at Central Presbyterian Church in Atlanta as a means of reclaiming the Reformed tradition of singing metrical Psalms in our worship.
 
The tune Ellacombe was chosen for the text, since it is such a joyful celebration of God’s creation, glory, and steadfast love.
— Michael Morgan

Author Information

Michael Morgan (b. 1948) is a church musician, Psalm scholar, and collector of English Bibles and Psalters from Atlanta, Georgia. After almost 40 years, he now serves as Organist Emeritus for Atlanta’s historic Central Presbyterian Church, and as Seminary Musician at Columbia Theological Seminary. He holds degrees from Florida State University and Atlanta University, and did post-graduate study with composer Richard Purvis in San Francisco. He has played recitals, worship services, and master classes across the U. S., and in England, France, Spain, Switzerland, and Germany. He is author of the Psalter for Christian Worship (1999; rev. 2010), and a regular contributor in the field of psalmody (most recently to the Reformed collections Psalms for All Seasons and Lift Up Your Hearts, and the new Presbyterian hymnal, Glory to God).
— Michael Morgan
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