God Most High

Devotional

God Most High is a paraphrase of Psalm 27 and also based on the hymn ‘God is our Strong Salvation‘ by Scottish hymnwriter, James Montgomery; God is my strong Salvation: What foe have I to fear? In darkness and temptation, my Light, my Help is near. Though hosts encamp around me, firm in the fight I stand. What terror can confound me, with God at my right hand? Place on the Lord reliance; my soul, with courage, wait. His truth will be my Sustenance, when faint and desolate. His might my heart shall strengthen, His love my joy increase. Mercy my days shall lengthen; the Lord will give me peace. Scottish hymnwriter David Lyon repurposed this song for the New Scottish Hymns album.  David’s wife, Yvonne Lyon, is the singer. A note about song structures (for the songwriting geeks out there!)…This version, while still keeping elements of the original, has been reshaped using a contemporary song structure – verse, chorus and bridge. It’s the only song on the album to use this structure. With courage I will wait Depending on Your mercy You alone, O Lord, will be my peace Hymns in the strictest sense do not usually include a “bridge” section, purely because it requires people to learn another melody which only appears once in the song. Because of this practical consideration, hymns tend to focus on using repeated verses, or verse plus refrain/chorus. Contemporary songs often have a bridge section to introduce a new idea or vary the melody. In “God Most High” The simplicity of the folk melody in the repeated verse means it is very easy to pick up, and the bridge feels like an appropriate change of tone. It’s a prayer of acceptance – acknowledging that God is not just stronger and greater than anything we are faced with, but is our loving father who walks ‘hand in hand’ with us through dangers, trials, darkness and temptation. David and Yvonne are also the driving force behind the Satellite project, which showcases Christian songwriters and performers from around Scotland. (Other Satellite and NSH contributors include Ellyn Oliver, Steph MacLeod, Allan McKinlay and Paul Robertson).