Expert Hymn Recommendations

Let God Arise, and by His Might  -  Psalm 68 draws a picture of the people of God throughout history entering in procession into God’s sanctuary. Looking back as well as forward, David lists the “little tribe of Benjamin, leading them,” as well as “the princes of Zebulun and Naphtali.” A full setting of Psalm 68, including these references, is found in the 1987 Psalter Hymnal, set to the famous Genevan tune for Psalm 68 that became known as the Huguenot Marseillaise, the battle song of the Calvinist Reformation throughout Europe.

Blessed Be the God of Israel  -  The Song of Zechariah (Luke 1:68-79) is one of the three great canticles from the Gospel of Luke. There are countess settings available, since it is still sung every morning in churches with a tradition of daily prayer services.

Song of the Prophets  -  This “catalog” hymn offers an opening and closing stanza that could frame any one of the (16) inner stanzas that each focus on a biblical prophet. St. 16 summarizes the encouragement from the prophet Zechariah to be strong in fighting evil, knowing that God will send a deliverer, “a humble king upon a colt” (9:9), quoted in Matthew 21:5 to describe the way Jesus entered Jerusalem in his Triumphal Entry.