In God Alone

The sheet music I have by Fr Frank Andersen MSC is in a collection called Scripture in Song. It compiles three of his music books “Eagles Wings”, “Everything I Possess” and “Rising Moon”. A few of his songs are etched into every Australian Catholic’s consciousness, but the ones I’ll be covering here are going to be the deeper cuts and since they aren’t that well known I’ll be putting up the lyrics.

I’ll start with “Eagles Wings” and the first song is “Strong and Constant”, which I have already blogged here.

That means I’ll start with “In God Alone”. This song is based on Psalm 61. The melody looks fiddly but it has a conversational flow and mild syncopation. I like the minor key in the psalm as it suggests that state of mind where a refuge is desired. I hadn’t heard this one before and I think it’s great.

The downloadable version of the sheet music at MSCMusic is far superior to the ones I have that have dodgy formatting and missing chords.

With psalms I don’t mind if there are a lot of  “my” and “I” action in the text. You could use “Lord God” to substitute for Yahweh in the third verse. I have edited out exclamations marks as some of his songs have one at the end of every sentence, which somewhat defeats the purpose.

Chorus

In God alone can my spirit find rest.

My help shall come from God alone.

For God is my rock and my salvation.

My fortress on high. My lasting peace.

1.

In God is my safety, my mountain secure.

Come into his presence and sing with me.

2.

Take refuge in God, all nations come near.

Lay your heart before God, in praise we sing.

3.

Our Yahweh is power, such goodness I see.

To know God is wisdom, in praise we sing.

© Frank Andersen 1979