850

Commit Your Way to God the Lord

Full Text

To view this media, please accept the license agreement:

Hope Publishing: one copy

In order to use resources from the Hope Publishing Company, you must reside in the United States or Canada. Hope Publishing Company owns or administers the contents in these territories.
You may download one copy of this selection for your own personal use. To make any further copies or to perform the work you must get permission from Hope Publishing Company or belong to and report the copying activity to CCLI, LicenSing or OneLicense.net. By selecting "I Agree" you are verifying that you reside in the U.S. or Canada and will only legally use this selection.

Scripture References

Confessions and Statements of Faith References

Further Reflections on Confessions and Statements of Faith References

God’s grace grants our baptism, and gives us our identity and our calling; however, it is up to us, with a renewed spirit, to respond to his call. We understand that just as “God reminds and assures us of our union with Christ in covenant love,” he also is “expecting our love and trust in return” (Our World Belong to God, paragraph 37). 

 

“We hear the Spirit’s call to love one another…to accept one another and to share at every level…and so fulfill the love of Christ” (Song of Hope, stanza 12). As washed and sanctified people, God’s children are called to “more and more [we] become dead to sin and live holy and blameless lives,” (Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 26, Question and Answer 70) and this means “the dying away of the old-self, and the rising-to-life of the new” (Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 33, Question and Answer 88). And so, as part of our baptism, God’s children are called to offer their lives to Christ. 

850

Commit Your Way to God the Lord

Additional Prayers

God of eternity,
Jesus taught that the meek are blessed—they shall inherit the earth.
Help us to live each day with our eyes and hearts fixed on eternity,
trusting that in you daybreak will come, night will flee away,
and all will be made right and just.
We pray this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
— Psalms for All Seasons (http://www.psalmsforallseasons.org)
A Prayer of Intercession
 
Great God, across the world today so many of your people are trying to follow in your way.
Make their way straight, O God.
They have made themselves still to wait for you.
Do not keep them waiting forever, O God.
They will not stay strong enough to keep from stumbling.
In your strength make them secure, O God.
Great God, across the world today so many of your people are trying to follow in your way.
Make their way straight, O God, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
— Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.
850

Commit Your Way to God the Lord

Tune Information

Name
ROCKINGHAM
Key
D Major
Meter
8.8.8.8

Recordings

850

Commit Your Way to God the Lord

Hymn Story/Background

In Old Testament wisdom style, Psalm 37 contrasts the way of the wicked and the way of the righteous (see also Psalms 1, 34, 49, 73, and 112). Even though the wicked, by their scheming and violence, appear to prosper, it is the righteous, those trusting in the LORD, who will possess the (promised) land. In a series of images, the psalm portrays the wicked in their apparent power and wealth and repeatedly overrides their folly with an image of the lasting salvation of the faithful. Do not envy the wicked; trust in God, says the psalmist.
 
Edward Miller adapted ROCKINGHAM from an earlier tune, TUNEBRIDGE, which had been published in Aaron Williams's A Second Supplement to Psalmody in Miniature (c. 1780). ROCKINGHAM has long associations in Great Britain and North America with Isaac Watts' "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross." The tune title refers to a friend and patron of Edward Miller, the Marquis of Rockingham, who served twice as Great Britain's prime minister.
 
ROCKINGHAM (or ROCKINGHAM OLD) is one of the finest long-meter tunes in the history of church music and is much loved by those who sing in harmony. A slight hold (stretching rather than adding a beat) is appropriate at the end of the second phrase and helps to provide a sense of two long musical lines. 
— Bert Polman

Author Information

Initially studying mathematics and physics at Dulwich College, Michael A. Perry (b. Beckenham, Kent, England, 1942; d. Tonbridge, Kent, England, 1996) was headed for a career in the sciences. However, after one year of study in physics at the University of London, he transferred to Oak Hill College to study theology. He also studied at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, and received a M.Phil. from the University of Southhampton in 1973. Ordained a priest in the Church of England in 1966, Perry served the parish of St. Helen's in Liverpool as a youth worker and evangelist. From 1972 to 1981 he was the vicar of Bitterne in Southhampton and from 1981 to 1989, rector of Eversley in Hampshire and chaplain at the Police Staff College. He then became vicar of Tonbridge in Kent, where he remained until his death from a brain tumor in 1996. Perry published widely in the areas of Bible study and worship. He edited Jubilate publications such as Hymns far Today's Church (1982), Carols far Today (1986), Come Rejoice! (1989), and Psalms for Today (1990). Composer of the musical drama Coming Home (1987), he also wrote more than two hundred hymns and Bible versifications. 
— Bert Polman

Composer Information

Edward Miller’s (b. Norwich, England, 1735; d. Doncaster, Yorkshire, England, 1807) father had made his living laying brick roads, and the young Edward became an apprentice in the same trade. Unhappy with that profession, however, he ran away to the town of Lynn and studied music with Charles Burney, the most prominent music historian of his day. A competent flute and organ player, he was organist at the parish church in Doncaster from 1756 to 1807. Miller was active in the musical life of the Doncaster region and composed keyboard sonatas and church music. His most influential publications were The Psalms of David for the Use of Parish Churches (1790), in which he sought to reform metrical psalmody (and which included ROCKINGHAM), and David's Harp (1805), an important Methodist tunebook issued by Miller with his son.
— Bert Polman
You have access to this FlexScore.
Download:
Are parts of this score outside of your desired range? Try transposing this FlexScore.
General Settings
Stanza Selection
Voice Selection
Text size:
Music size:
Transpose (Half Steps):
Capo:
Contacting server...
Contacting server...
Questions? Check out the FAQ

A separate copy of this score must be purchased for each choir member. If this score will be projected or included in a bulletin, usage must be reported to a licensing agent (e.g. CCLI, OneLicense, etc).

This is a preview of your FlexScore.
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us