Psalter Hymnal (Gray) ‎#20

20. In the Day of Need

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Hope Publishing: one copy

In order to use resources from the Hope Publishing Company, you must reside in the United States or Canada. Hope Publishing Company owns or administers the contents in these territories.
You may download one copy of this selection for your own personal use. To make any further copies or to perform the work you must get permission from Hope Publishing Company or belong to and report the copying activity to CCLI, LicenSing or OneLicense.net. By selecting "I Agree" you are verifying that you reside in the U.S. or Canada and will only legally use this selection.

Text Information

• First Line: In the day of need may your answer be the LORD
• Title: In the Day of Need
• Versifier: Christopher M. Idle (1969)
• Meter: 12 9 12 11
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1987
• Scripture:
  Psalm 20
• Topic: Biblical Names & Places: Jacob; Comfort & Encouragement; Return of Christ; War & Revolution; Close of Worship; Heritage; Ministry & Service; Nation
• Copyright: Text and music © 1973, Hope Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Used by permission

Tune Information

• Name: SAMSON (Warren)
• Composer: Norman L. Warren (1972)
• Meter: 12 9 12 11
• Key: F Major
• Copyright: Text and music © 1973, Hope Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Used by permission

Text Information:

A prayer for the king (God's anointed-Messiah) by those about to follow him into battle.

Scripture References:
st. 1 =vv. 1-3, 9
st. 2 = vv. 4-5
st. 3 = v. 6
st. 4=vv. 7-9

The themes of Psalm 20 suggest that the people are assembled to follow the king into battle. They commend the king to God's protection and help (st. 1-2), confess their confident reliance on the LORD in the impending battle (st. 3), and close with an appeal to God for the king's safety and victory, professing trust in God rather than in human resources (st. 4).

Christopher Martin Idle (b. Bromley, Kent, England, 1938) wrote this versification in 1969; it was first published in Psalm Praise (1973). Idle suggests that "the fourth stanza seems to have a message peculiarly relevant to a world where many in east and west boast of their weapons of war and rely on them to preserve 'peace.'" Idle was educated at Elthan College, St. Peter's College, Oxford, and Clifton Theological College in Bristol, and was ordained in the Church of England. He served churches in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria; London; and Oakley, Suffolk; and recently returned to London, where he is involved in various hymnal projects. A prolific author of articles on the Christian's public responsibilities, Idle has also published The Lion Book of Favorite Hymns (1980) and at least one hundred of his own hymns and biblical paraphrases. Some of his texts first appeared in hymnals published by the Jubilate Group, with which he is associated. He was also editor of Anglican Praise (1987).

Liturgical Use:
Occasions when the church contemplates following Christ into battle-thus fitting for adult baptism, profession of faith, or at the conclusion of worship, as God's people take up their service and spiritual warfare in the world.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook

Tune Information:

Norman L. Warren (PHH 15) composed SAMSON for this text in 1972 for publication in Psalm Praise (1973). The tune was named after Warren's "small, very friendly" dog, a Border terrier. This simple folklike tune requires strong unison for congregational singing, with two beats to the bar.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook