This page is provided so that you can hear the tunes of items which we use in church. Mostly they are written by the vicar. Please note that they are copyright - we are very happy to give permission to you to use them, but we would like to hear about it. Please include any use on your Christian Copyright Licence returns.
Down this page:
- the words,
- the story,
- the sheet music,
- media player.
As the deer
As the deer
As the deer pants for streams,
so my soul thirsts for you, O Lord;
when shall I meet my God?
When my eyes fill with tears,
when my ears hear these cruel words:
"Where is the Lord your God?"
Lord, I remember how, in days now long gone,
I would be worshipping in joyful song.
You are my Saviour and my hope, oh God:
you will comfort and renew my soul.
When my heart is cast down,
and the storm-force is daunting me;
when shall I meet my God?
In the streets of my town,
with my foes shouting, taunting me:
"Where is the Lord your God?"
Lord, you are with me through the darkness of night,
your song within me helps my spirit fight.
You are my Saviour and my hope, oh God:
you will comfort and renew my soul.
When I'm captured and bound
by the jeers of my enemy;
when shall I meet my God?
When I feel like I'm drowned,
and there rings in my memory:
"Where is the Lord your God?"
Send your enlightenment and truth as a guide,
bring me to where you live so I can hide:
You are my Saviour and my hope, oh God:
you will comfort and renew my soul.
Words and tune copyright © John Hartley 2007.
Based on Psalms 42 and 43.
Story behind the song
I've long had a soft spot for Psalms 42 and 43, which together form a three-verse song with a chorus, and I've often wondered if it could be put into a song. There are quite a few successful versions, including the old-fashioned "As pants the hart for cooling streams" (Tate & Brady, 1696) and the more modern "As the deer pants for the water" (Martin Nystrom, 1983). But the problem with both these is that they don't really convey the fact that the psalm is written in a time of depression, and that the worship of God is an aspiration and an effort, rather than a natural delight and joy. So I wondered about something along these lines?
John Hartley.
Windows Media Player. When you click the left-hand "play" button your computer should have started to play the tune. If it didn't, you might be able to get the tune by clicking here, or by right-clicking the link, choosing "save target as", saving it onto your computer, and then opening it with a music-playing program.
Please remember that a midi file of a tune isn't supposed to be a state-of-the-art musical arrangement - it is only supposed to give a basic idea of how the tune goes. Any reasonable organist / keyboard player / music group could make it sound far better.