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.
Clap your hands, all peoples
Clap your hands, all peoples (Psalm 47)
Clap your hands, all peoples,
shout to God and sing;
for our Lord is awesome -
mighty is our King.
Those who once were rivals
bow before his throne:
he has raised his people,
chose us for his own.
God has now ascended:
trumpets sound his praise.
Praise him, all you nations,
praise him all your days.
King of all creation
now enthroned is he:
reigning and victorious,
crowned in majesty.
Nobles of the nations,
now reduced to ranks,
join the folk of Israel
giving him their thanks.
God has now ascended:
trumpets sound his praise.
Praise him, all you nations,
praise him all your days.
Words copyright © John Hartley 2008.
Based on Psalm 47.
Suggested Tune: St Gertrude ("Onward Christian Soldiers") by Sir Arthur Sullivan.
Story behind the song
This is a simple attempt to set Psalm 47 in metrical form so that it can be sung to a well-known hymn-tune. The psalm is suitable for Ascensiontide, and is set as the psalm for the day on the Saturday following Ascension Day.
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.