Gaelic Psalm Singing - Donald Macleod (Portree and Scalpay)

Induction of Rev Murdo Angus Macleod to Snizort Free Church Continuing
August 2010
Metrical Psalm 122 from verse 6 (Tune is Torwood)
6 Pray that Jerusalem may have
peace and felicity:
Let them that love thee and thy peace
have still prosperity.
7 Therefore I wish that peace may still
within thy walls remain,
And ever may thy palaces
prosperity retain.
8 Now, for my friends' and brethren's sakes,
Peace be in thee, I'll say.
9 And for the house of God our Lord,
I'll seek thy good alway.
In Scottish Gaelic
6 Sìor-ghuidhibh do Ierusalem
sìth-shàimh 'us sonas mòr:
A' mhuinntir sin le'n ionmhuinn thu
soirbhichidh iad gu leoir.
7 An taobh a stigh de d' bhallachaibh,
biodh sìth 'us sonas maith;
Deadh shoirbheas fòs gu robh gu bràth
a'd' lùchairt àird a stigh.
8 Air sgàth mo bhràithrean 's luchd mo ghaoil,
dhuit guidheam sìth a ghnàth.
9 Air sgàth tigh' naoimh ar Tighearn' Dia,
iarram do leas gu bràth.

[@JM-gu3tx]

It's the sound of souls reaching out to God in total humility. Very touching.

[@robbieblair9061]

you don't need lots of watts of sound , just those who love Him worshipping from their hearts, and the Holy Spirit moves amongst them.

[@Defender77]

Amen, He is awesome indeed!

[@SarahMilteer]

You might have to spend some time with this music to appreciate it - singing like this reminded me of the ebb and flow of the tide and I am always consumed with joy when singing psalms at a meeting house this way.

[@nikkid2670]

The comparison to the tide was so spot on!

[@annehalecott]

Or the breeze blowing through the field of barley

[@aveo10w]

The Amish still do this style

[@mark621000]

Many of my clan macdougall buried at church of scotland Prince Edward Island , Bangor free church of Scotland. Hello to those fearing the Most High Elohim. My sons 8th generation since Oban Scotland 1810.

[@davidorr8804]

Thank god for the free church🙏🙏❤️

[@peggymacleod8757]

fantastic nothing like it !!

[@juliastoreywatson5294]

Eery, forlorn, deeply spiritual music.

[@UISTMAN59]

Forlorn i.e. "pitifully sad and abandoned or lonely." is hardly an accurate term for a people wholeheartedly engaged in singing this psalm - or indeed any other psalm.

[@edwinvanderkooij8713]

Groet uit Nederland aan onze vrienden in Schotland! Moge jullie gezangen onze Heiland behagen!

[@JM-gu3tx]

Most exhilarating thing I have ever heard in my life. This should be preserved and spread to churches around the world.

[@annmacleod1099]

Hamish M no it should not be round the churches trough out the world this church is in gealic which belongs in lewis not around the world in churches

[@TRIPPYbugger]

Very Beautiful.

[@alisonbrowning9620]

beautiful

[@catherinemurray4394]

Excellent.

[@bonchance9241]

so beautifull

[@seanobrien3725]

Awesome! Heard such singing in Dublin a few years ago by a choir from Harris. Comhgháirdeachas ó Éireann / Congratulations from Ireland. Have pleasant memories of two holidays in Skye.

[@maverickhubb]

we have it here in the states. I grew up in the old regular baptist who still don't tjis. our ancestors brought it with them. this area was settled by many of the Irish and Scottish.

[@77OSean]

Thanks, Clifford, for the comment. I notice I said Harris in my original comment. In fact, it may have been Lewis. I've been to both of these places four years ago. Hopefully, will get back again soon. It's great the tradition is being carried on in the U.S. Kindest regards!

[@karencoey6319]

+Clifford Hubbard I grew up in the United Baptist and still sing like this.. amazing to hear the tunes are the same.

[@helenwilson4165]

Written about a lot in Marian F. McNeills book the Silver Bough who's father was a free church minister. Also Norman Shaws writings on the sonorous Highland landscape and the Gaelic language are extremely interesting.

[@verdew8181]

In the hymnal "Great Songs of the Church" there was a beautiful hymn based on "The Lord is My Shepherd" whose tune was from a "Scottish Psalter", I would like to find a recording of that one.

[@Charliebhoy58]

Is this it Dorothy ? kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioqumWaDgLOcjKM

[@iainmacantailleir352]

Dhíochuimhnich mi cho cumhachdach 's a bha an t-seinn agus an dùrachd na lùib. Mìorbhailleach fhèin

[@StareHamry]

Amen. JESUS!! :-)

[@robertroberts2666]

Ancient, pure and primitive Celtic Christian worship without mechanical means ie instruments as you will not find instruments used in New Testament worship.

[@MichaelPetek]

It dates only from the Reformation. I'm not aware that this style of singing has any older history.

[@MrDrumminor]

"during the Christianisation of Scotland the highlands were one of the last places to be reached........." writes Helen Wilson. This is totally incorrect. Indeed, the Island of Iona, which is most certainly north of the highland line, was the very cradle and source of the spread of Christianity in Scotland.

[@williamwallace2278]

By Irish Monks

[@helenwilson4165]

Interesting you use the banshee as the specific example as this literally translates as Fairy woman to the celtic people- It wasn't till the later writings of Arthur Conan Doyle that this character was viewed negatively to the Celtic people she was a mortal woman taken by the fairies who was viewed as a link between there world and ours- a prophetess. During the Christianisation of Scotland the highlands were one of the last places to be reached and therefor retain a lot of celts tradition.

[@bevsfan]

Gaelic Bible 1880 6 Sìor-ghuidhibh do Ierusalem sìth-shàimh 'us sonas mòr: A' mhuinntir sin le'n ionmhuinn thu soirbhichidh iad gu leoir. 7 An taobh a stigh de d' bhallachaibh, biodh sìth 'us sonas maith; Deadh shoirbheas fòs gu robh gu bràth a'd' lùchairt àird a stigh. 8 Air sgàth mo bhràithrean 's luchd mo ghaoil, dhuit guidheam sìth a ghnàth. 9 Air sgàth tigh' naoimh ar Tighearn' Dia, iarram do leas gu bràth. English Bible 1950's ish 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. 7 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. 8 For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. 9 Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good. 2002 New Testament with translation. 6 Sìor ghuidhibh do Ierusalem sìth-shàimh is sonas mòr, A' mhuinntir sin len ionmhainn thu, soirbhichidh iad gu leòr. 7 An taobh a-staigh ded bhallachan biodh sìth is sonas math; Deagh shoirbheas fòs gu robh gu bràth ad lùchairt àird a-staigh. 8 Air sgàth mo bhràithrean 's luchd mo ghaoil, dhut guidheam sìth a-ghnàth. 9 Air sgàth taigh naomh ar Tighearn Dia, iarram do leas gu bràth. 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you. 7 Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces." 8 For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, "Peace be within you." 9 Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good.

[@lillisolaoire6301]

Tapadh leibh.

[@JM-gu3tx]

It would be nice if this (which psalm is it?) psalm had subtitles in English and Scots Gaelic so that people could learn it. :)

[@edmiller3405]

the amish sing the same tunes they do here // its german

[@JM-gu3tx]

How about putting the lyrics under the "Show More" tab?

[@709913]

Ian - I've done that now. Thanks

[@chazumperfluffypillows5388]

I first heard this style on Radio Scotland and I thought it was amazingly powerful. I'm intrigued as to why folk would congregate to produce a sound that has not even a hint of a note of happiness. They seem so bleakly miserable. It seems to me to be sonically attempting the extreme opposite of why most religious types try to do in their places of worship. It really is the most beautiful "cheer you down" type of singing I've ever heard.

[@MurdoMacLean]

Chazumper Fluffypillows this type of singing is more personal and meditative between the person and their god, in Scottish churches they don't only sing like this, they also have upbeat songs as well

[@paulstauffer8053]

Has anyone one put notes to this tune??

[@chazumperfluffypillows5388]

I do appreciate it. I actually have lots of these psalms mixed through playlists of mines that also have dark ambient tunes as they go very well together. I'm fascinated as to why no one looks or sounds like they are enjoying themselves. There is more than just a hint of banshee, which IMO is the opposite of, for example, the obvious exuberance of black gospel singing. This dour Scots wailing is most likely born out of a fear of (their) god which is fine by me as I prefer it's effect on my ear.

[@nikkid2670]

Some of the sounds are reminiscent of keening, which I believe is I believe is uniquely Scottish/Irish in origin.

[@eliasblum753]

They are dour, but not miserable. They live in a hard, cold, bleak, dark place. But there's a real warmth to the culture, once you get through the stony exterior. The steel's on the outside, but the fire's on the inside.

[@edmiller3405]

salms 122 v 6 ???