Before the sermon this past Lord's Day, I recommended some music to the congregation. This is music that has strengthened me many years now as I read and write—particularly books and sermons. I don't know how weak I'd be if these musicians hadn't been strengthening me for this work.
First, the one group of musicians I have been strengthened by each Lord's Day the final few hours of study very early in the morning: Good Shepherd Band and My Soul Among Lions. This is what I listen to always and only each Lord's Day morning.
First, "Glorious Things." This CD has some of the best worship songs we use in worship. Personal favorites are...
"Glorious Things," "Immortal, Invisible," and "His Final Word." If you only listen to one, make it "His Final Word." The song is original and one of the finest worship hymns I've sung.
Second, "Wake Up Sleeper" is similar to another CD I spent four years listening to as I prepared to preach at my former church: Michael Card's "The Prophet." If you're tempted by the sins that tempt me in preaching—weakness and fearfulness—this CD will strengthen you for your work. It's prophetic and most of it is original music. Personal favorites are "Wake Up Sleeper," "Where Are the Persecuted," and "Hiding Place." If you're interested in knowing which doctrines used to be sung in worship, but aren't any longer, listen to "Hiding Place." But not on your computer's speakers, please.
Third, My Soul Among Lions is a subset of our worship musicians and they're in the middle of recording all one-hundred and fifty Psalms, Lord willing. So far they've finished volumes one and two, Psalms 1-20. I'm not sure if I've yet listened to these two CDs more frequently than the two Good Shepherd Band CDs listed above, but it's getting close. Generally, I listen to My Soul Among Lions Psalms when I write on the books and Good Shepherd Band's worship songs more Lord's Day mornings.
Anyhow, here are My Soul's first two CDs. Buy them both and place them for the next year. It will lead you, your church, and your children into holiness.
My Soul Among Lions Psalms 1-10.
My Soul Among Lions Psalms 11-20.
Now then, if you promise to check out those four CDs, I'll tell you a few others I love.
Fifth. Up there in the countless listens during my years of work are the Psalms of David sung by King's College Choir, Cambridge under the direction of Sir David Wilcocks. I have the 1989 three-CD EMI recording, but it's very hard to find. Listening to EMI's more recent two-volume set, they seem to be identical (only one track is missing). So here's the two-volume EMI recording now available. Personal favorites are Psalms 15, 61, 122, and 137. Especially Psalms 137.
When I get up in the morning, I like this to start my work weekdays. I find this recording of men's voices singing Psalms unaffected, and thus stirring. The CD as you find it on Amazon is Psalms of Harmony directed by Jason Coghill. I have another recording but I can't find it anywhere. It's a cappella four-part harmony.
