--- title: Psalm-Based Organ Music for Lent description: Psalms are both poetry and music, full of emotion, so it makes sense that instrumental music based on the psalms would be equally expressive. --- [![AF-prelude-logo](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Augsburg%20Fortress/AF_Prelude_Blog/AF-prelude-logo.png?width=181&height=52&name=AF-prelude-logo.png "AF-prelude-logo")](http://www.preludemusicplanner.org/) - [LEARN MORE](https://preludemusicplanner.org/) - [BLOG](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org) - [SIGN IN](https://members.preludemusicplanner.org/) # [Prelude Music Blog](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org) # Psalm-Based Organ Music for Lent by [Sarah Hawbecker](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/author/sarah-hawbecker) I take great care in selecting my organ preludes and postludes for each Sunday. A prelude prepares the gathered community for worship. Whether the listener prays, reflects, or simply listens, they are still an active participant, and, as such, I believe they deserve the best the musician can give them. Likewise, the postlude, as the last thing they hear on the way out of church, is an opportunity to lift their spirits as they reflect on the worship that just ended and prepare to go about their week. Sometimes it is easy to choose organ music that has an obvious connection with a given Sunday. I may select an organ chorale prelude (or a set) based on the tune from one of the hymns to be sung that day. Or I may select repertoire that simply conveys the mood I want to create, whether it is joyful or contemplative. Perhaps a less obvious method of selecting organ music for any given Sunday is to connect it with the psalm. Psalms are both poetry and music, full of the range of human emotion, so it makes sense that instrumental music based on the psalms would be equally expressive. I realized that I have quite a bit of this music already in my repertoire. I started working on a list of music that I might use for the season of Lent. Some of it is a composer’s interpretation of a psalm, like Emma Lou Diemer’s collections. Others are settings of hymn tunes based on psalms (like the various recognizable hymns based on Psalm 23). Occasionally I listed a piece based on a different psalm but the same theme. Others are pieces that express the emotion of a psalm. When listing one of these pieces in the bulletin, I always print the psalm verse under the title in order to help the listener. I may continue to work on this list so that I eventually have the whole year covered. What would you add?   ## Ash Wednesday ABC – Psalm 51 Jehan Alain. “Choral Dorien” from [*Augsburg Organ Library: Lent*](https://www.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/9780800658977/Augsburg-Organ-Library-Lent) Max Drischner. “Aus tiefer Not” (Psalm 130) from [*Augsburg Organ Library: Lent*](https://www.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/9780800658977/Augsburg-Organ-Library-Lent)   ## Lent 1 A – Psalm 32 Multiple settings of “Ein feste Burg” (Psalm 46) David Maxwell. “Partita on ‘Old 124th’” from *Loving Spirit: Hymn Settings for Organ* ([Prelude](https://preludemusicplanner.org/)) ## Lent 1B – Psalm 25 Emma Lou Diemer. “Psalm 25” from *Psalm Interpretations for Organ, Vol. 2* ([Sacred Music Press](https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/psalm-interpretations-for-organ-volume-2-digital-sheet-music/20347297)) Gerald Near. “Solemn Prelude on a Theme of Thomas Tallis” ([MorningStar Music)](https://www.morningstarmusic.com/solemn-prelude-on-a-theme-of-thomas-tallis.html)   ## Lent 1C – Psalm 91 Marilyn Biery. “On Eagle’s Wings” from [*Gathered into One: Organ Settings of Contemporary Tunes*](https://www.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/9781451486063/Gathered-into-One-Organ-Settings-of-Contemporary-Tunes) Emma Lou Diemer. “Psalm 91” from *Psalm Interpretations for Organ, Vol. 1* ([Sacred Music Press](https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/psalm-interpretations-for-organ-volume-1-digital-sheet-music/20347296))   ## Lent 2A – Psalm 121 Franklin Ashdown. “If You but Trust in God to Guide You: Cantilena” from [*Adagios of Hope and Peace*](https://www.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/9781506413587/Adagios-of-Hope-and-Peace-Ten-Settings-for-Organ) Franklin Ashdown. “Be Thou My Vision” from [*Augsburg Organ Library: Lent*](https://www.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/9780800658977/Augsburg-Organ-Library-Lent) Craig Phillips. “Prelude on ‘Slane’” from *Oh, Love, How Deep* ([MorningStar Music](https://www.morningstarmusic.com/o-love-how-deep-three-hymn-settings-for-organ.html))   ## Lent 2B – Psalm 22 Craig Phillips. “Psalm Prelude” (Psalm 40:1-3) ([Selah Publishing](https://www.selahpub.com/OrganKeyboard/OrganTitles/160-875-PsalmPrelude.html)) Samuel Barber, arr. William Strickland. “Adagio for Strings” (G. Schirmer) ## Lent 2C – Psalm 27 Joseph Jongen. “Priere” from *Four Pieces for Organ* Richard Webster. “Thy Holy Wings: Bred dina vida vingar” from [*Augsburg Organ Library: Lent*](https://www.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/9780800658977/Augsburg-Organ-Library-Lent) Craig Phillips. “Uriel: God is my light” 4th mvmt from *Archangel Suite* ([Selah Publishing](https://www.selahpub.com/OrganKeyboard/OrganTitles/160-870-ArchangelSuite.html))   ## Lent 3A – Psalm 95 Emma Lou Diemer. “Psalm 95” from *Psalm Interpretations for Organ, Vol. 2* ([Sacred Music Press](https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/psalm-interpretations-for-organ-volume-2-digital-sheet-music/20347297))                         ## Lent 3B – Psalm 19 Benedetto Marcello. “Psalm XIX” (various arrangements)   ## Lent 3C – Psalm 63 Edwin T. Childs. “Holy Manna” from [*Communion Hymns for Organ, Vol. 1*](https://www.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/9781451420821/Communion-Hymns-for-Organ-Volume-1) Wilbur Held. “Holy Manna” from [*Augsburg Organ Library: Baptism and Communion*](https://www.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/9780800623555/Augsburg-Organ-Library-Baptism-and-Holy-Communion) J. S. Bach. “Jesu, meine Freude, BWV 610" from *Das Orgelbuchlein*    ## Lent 4A – Psalm 23 C. V. Stanford. VI. “Andante con moto” from *Six Short Preludes and Postludes, Set 1, Op. 101* (quotes the tune St. Columba) (Stainer & Bell) Gwyneth Walker. “Beside the Still Waters” ([Morningstar Music](https://www.morningstarmusic.com/beside-the-still-waters.html)) ## Lent 4B – Psalm 107:1-3; 17-22 Herbert Howells. “Psalm Prelude Op. 32, no. 1” (Psalm 34:6) ## Lent 4C – Psalm 32 J. S. Bach. “O Lamm Gottes, BWV 656” from the *Leipzig Chorales* J. S. Bach. “An Wasserflussen Babylon, BWV 653” from the *Leipzig Chorales*   ## Lent 5A – Psalm 130 Max Drischner. “Aus tiefer Not” (Psalm 130) from [*Augsburg Organ Library: Lent*](https://www.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/9780800658977/Augsburg-Organ-Library-Lent) Emma Lou Diemer. “Psalm 130” from *Psalm Interpretations for Organ, Vol. 1* ([Sacred Music Press](https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/psalm-interpretations-for-organ-volume-1-digital-sheet-music/20347296))   ## Lent 5B – Psalm 51 or Psalm 119:9-16 François Couperin. “Kyrie” from *Mass for the Parishes* J. S. Bach. “Kyrie, God Holy Ghost, BWV 671” from *Clavierubüng III*   ## Lent 5C – Psalm 126 J. S. Bach, arr. S. Drummond Wolff. “Sinfonia” from *Cantata 29* ([MorningStar Music](https://www.morningstarmusic.com/wir-danken-dir-gott-sinfonia.html)) Posted on Feb 10, 2022 9:00:00 AM Filed Under: [Hymnody](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/hymnody), Filed Under: [Music Ministry](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/music-ministry), Filed Under: [Lent](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/lent), Filed Under: [Psalms](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/psalms), - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ![Sarah Hawbecker](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Augsburg%20Fortress/AF_Prelude_Blog/Authors/SarahHawbecker.jpg?width=100&height=100&name=SarahHawbecker.jpg) #### Written by [Sarah Hawbecker](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/author/sarah-hawbecker) Sarah J. Hawbecker is a graduate of St. Olaf College and the Eastman School of Music. Since 1996, she has served as Organist and Director of Children's Music at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Atlanta, GA, overseeing a program of two children's choirs, three handbell choirs, a summer music camp, and a concert series. She has performed for and presented workshops at regional and national gatherings of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, and of the American Guild of Organists, and has served as adjudicator for several organ competitions. ### Subscribe to Email Updates - Recent - Popular - Categories ### Lists by Topic - [review-prelude (87)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/review-prelude) - [Choral Techniques and Repertoire (56)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/choral-techniques-and-repertoire) - [Music Ministry (55)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/music-ministry) - [Planning (55)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/planning) - [Assembly Song (37)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/assembly-song) - [Potpourri (32)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/potpourri) - [Instruments and Ensembles (19)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/instruments-and-ensembles) - [Hymnody (14)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/hymnody) - [music (13)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/music) - [Uncategorized (10)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/uncategorized) - [COVID-19 (5)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/covid-19) - [Composing and arranging (5)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/composing-and-arranging) - [Coronavirus (5)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/coronavirus) - [News (5)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/news) - [Christmas (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/christmas) - [Easter (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/easter) - [Instruments (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/instruments) - [Social distancing (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/social-distancing) - [worship (3)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/worship) - [Advent (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/advent) - [All Creation Sings (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/all-creation-sings) - [Children Ministry (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/children-ministry) - [Lent (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/lent) - [Summer (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/summer) - [gratitude (2)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/gratitude) - [Creative Arts Camp (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/creative-arts-camp) - [Cultural (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/cultural) - [ELW (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/elw) - [Evangelical Lutheran Worship (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/evangelical-lutheran-worship) - [Holidays (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/holidays) - [Hope (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/hope) - [Hospitality (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/hospitality) - [Pentecost (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/pentecost) - [Psalms (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/psalms) - [Youth Ministry (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/youth-ministry) - [children (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/children) - [culture (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/culture) - [devotions (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/devotions) - [john the baptist (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/john-the-baptist) - [joy (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/joy) - [leadership (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/leadership) - [marriage (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/marriage) - [race (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/race) - [relationship (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/relationship) - [self-care (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/self-care) - [spiritual (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/spiritual) - [time (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/time) - [trust (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/trust) - [wedding (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/wedding) - [weddings (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/weddings) - [writing (1)](https://blog.preludemusicplanner.org/tag/writing) see all ### About Prelude Music Planner [Prelude Music Planner](http://www.preludemusicplanner.org) is the web-based tool that provides a wealth of music, thoughtful commentary, and time-saving tools for the church musician. - **Explore a wealth of music**. 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