I’ll have a break from David MacGregor after another lovely sung prayer, this time based on Jeremiah 18:1-11. This one has two, count ’em, key changes but you can see why.
The sheet music is at his site, but I will post it as a pdf to make things easier to download.
I made two backings because I didn’t like the first one.
I have reached “F” in the endless David MacGregor archive of church music. I’ll do a couple more and then do something else for a while. If I live long enough I will get back to finish his songs one day – but then he’ll just write more I suppose. It is a wonderful surprise to find all this material of which I was only dimly aware.
This is a song inspired by Psalm 36:5-9, so is a sung prayer of praise. It’s the sort of thing you sing when you are not sure you believe it, so it’s instructions are encouraging: “with confident assurance”.
As usual, you can access his sheet music because he has made it freely available on his website.
I made a backing:
Your love is ever faithful
It’s wider than the sky
Your faithfulness
is higher than the clouds
Upright as the mountains
Your justice – ocean deep
Your care for all creation will ever be.You are faithful, O God
Love so faithful, O God.
You are faithful, O God
Ever faithful, O GodYour love is like a treasure
precious at its heart
We’re sheltered in
the shadow of your wings
Your love is full, abundant
In you, is life, is home
You are living water
Lord, alone.
You are faithful, O God
Love so faithful, O God
You are faithful, O God
Ever faithful, O God.You are faithful, O God
David MacGregor
Love so faithful, O God
You are faithful, O God
Ever faithful, O God
Ever faithful, O God.
©️ 2022 Willow Publishing – From Psalm 36:5-9
MacGregor goes for a very different feel in his version, so you might want to pay attention to the songwriter rather than me.
Another song for little kids by David MacGregor and it is a lot of fun. His children’s songs aren’t throwaways – there’s a lot of thought going into the music here.
The sheet music is free at his website, where I found the hand actions below.
Sing along to my backing:
Ev’ry day, ev’ry way excellent
The best for God: it means giving it.
Thinkin’, bein’, doing it all as one.
Ev’ry way excellent!
1. Living it right! Living it true.
Jesus, each day’s a great time with you!
Ev’rything beaut! O.K.! All right!
Rejoicing always in you.
2. Thinking and doing the lovely things
Finding the peace the Lord Jesus brings
Anything good, deserving praise
Excellent in ev’ry way!
3. God, you’ve given the very best
Jesus, you’re tops over all the rest.
We’ll follow you God one hundred percent
– living life excellent!
© 1993 David MacGregor based on Philippians 4:4-9
This is a sung prayer from David MacGregor. I would find a place in the veneration of the cross.
There is a snippet of his recording at his site, but I have made my own backing.
The sheet music is on his site in a form that may not download, so I’ll put it up here in pdf.
This a song from 2021 by David MacGregor based on John chapter 1. It could be used as an entrance and would be fine in Advent. It’s a lovely song that goes a bit high for me in the chorus.
The sheet music is free at David’s website.
- The Word as world is waking
The Word was One with God
All was made, created
The Word spoke, and Life was born
Light for all creation
Darkness cannot reign
Light comes to the broken
Light and love to reignYou are one with us
You have come to us
You have lived with us, O Lord
You have died for us
Christ, You rise for us
Emmanuel,
Living Word
- Light and Life is coming
The Word takes human form
Making home among us
In God we are reborn
We have seen his glory
Glory of God’s Son
Grace and truth forever
Praise You, Holy One!You are one with us
You have come to us
You have lived with us, O Lord
You have died for us
Lord you rise for us
Emmanuel,
Living WordYou are one with us
You have come to us
You have lived with us, O Lord
You have died for us
Lord you rise for us
Emmanuel,
Living WordCODA
David MacGregor
God, we come to You
God, we live for You
Emmanuel,
Living Word
© 2021 Willow Publishing
from John 1
This is quite the production:
This backing is more restrained:
This is a reggae song based on Micah 6:6-8 that David MacGregor contributed to the National Council of Churches “Decade to Overcome Violence” in 2004.
The sheet music can be downloaded for free at his website.
BIAB can do reggae too.
- How shall we come before the Lord our God
How shall we worship God on high
What does God desire?
What does God require?
What shall we give in offering?
What shall we give in offering?
What can we give, but …Do justice
Love kindness
Walk humbly with our God
Do justice
Love kindness
Walk humbly with our God
Walk humbly with our God
Walk humbly with our God© David MacGregor 1999; from Micah 6: 6-8
- What shall we bring before you: Lord our God,
to offer, repentant of our sin
You say what is good
You say how we should
give of ourselves in offering
give of ourselves in offering
What can we give, but … Do justice …
David MacGregor has a lot of songs suitable for children. This is a charming rewrite of the ten commandments for children that swings along nicely.
The sheet music is free at David’s website.
I made backing with BIAB ukelele.
Got to do it right
Brother, sister, father, mother
Do it God’s way each to another
Do it right through ev’ry day
Let’s do it right
Do it right
Let’s do it right ….. God’s way!© David MacGregor 1994
- One let’s worship God alone
Two don’t worship things we own
Three keep God’s name from all evil things
Four keep the seventh day for holy things- Five respect your mum and dad
Six murder’s out! it’s life that’s rad!
Seven love the one you’re married to alone
Eight stealing stuff simply isn’t on! ….- Nine don’t accuse someone wrong unfair
Ten don’t be greedy: it’s not your’s but their’s!
Commands from God to help each day
live our life God’s loving way! ….
This is his version:
I am still in the huge archive of songs written by David Macgregor.
This one is a reflective sung prayer in search of closeness to God through finding meaning by action in the world as God’s heart, hands, and voice.
The sheet music is free at his website.
David MacGregor
- Deeper into you, Lord
seek me, journey
All my life a prayer God
joined with you
Deeper into you, Lord
you are life and meaning
Deeper, deeper, deeper
Deeper into you- Spirit, take my weakness,
words unuttered, you
take my feelings
joy long quelled by pain
Deeper into you
to join in deep communion
Deeper, deeper, deeper
Deeper into you- Deeper into you, Lord,
call us outwards
In you, to be your heart
your hands, your voice
Deeper into you, Lord
you’re our life, our meaning
Deeper, deeper, deeper
Deeper into you
© 2009 Willow Publishing
David MacGregor is not scared of using titles used elsewhere. He is careful to note his lyrics come from St Richard of Chichester and presumably not from Godspell. The tune is delicate and exquisite in its simplicity.
The sheet music is free at his website.
May I know you more clearly
Love you more dearly
Follow you more nearly
Day by dayMay I know you more clearly
Love you more dearly
Follow you more nearly
Day by dayPraise to you, Lord Jesus
For all you’ve won for me
Every pain and every shaming
You’ve borne it all for meMay I know you more clearly
Love you more dearly
Follow you more nearly
Day by dayMay I know you more clearly
Lyrics (adapted from) St Richard of Chichester: 1197-1253
Love you more dearly
Follow you more nearly
Day by day
Day by day
Day by day
Music: David MacGregor
© 2023 Willow Publishing
This is a lovely song of challenge that could be used as a recessional. It is by David MacGregor – and I have finally got to the ‘D’s in his huge archive of songs.
The sheet music is freely available at his website. You can hear his version there as well.
Sing along with my backing to learn it.
Daring God, you call us as your people
You gift us as community in Christ
to be a church at mission
to be a church at praise
no count of cost, disciples
in all we do and say
Dare to discover
dare to dream
journey the footsteps
where Christ has been
building communities of grace
people alive in hope, in faith
daring to live God’s life, God’s dreamDavid MacGregor
Holy Spirit, dare us – journey onwards to
new horizons beckoned by the Word,
to risk the way of Jesus
whatever that might mean.
We dare to be so faithful
We dare to live God’s dream
© 2007 Willow Publishing
