Calling All Songwriters: February Song Assignment

[russhutto]

Hey all.

As part of challenging myself (and others) to continue to write. I'd like to issue a challenge to you!

Write a song!

For the month of February I'd like to encourage you to write a song based on Psalm 31.

Join the TWC SONGWRITERS GROUP if you want to participate!

"Guidelines":

1) You can use ANY part of Ps. 31 (just remember to list the verse references you use specifically).
2) Your song can be of ANY variety, though I'd like to focus on writing songs for use in a corporate setting - so keep in mind singability, catchiness, hook, wordiness...
3) Record your song. I just sing directly into my laptop mic with a guitar, so no fancy recording is necessary.
4) Share your song (and appropriate links, lyrics, charts, etc) on this thread.
5) We'll ALL listen, offer feedback and help make this song usable.
6) We'll all pick a song by ANOTHER user and try and incorporate it into a worship gathering (if possible).

Sounds fun, right? Hopefully we can do this once a month which will create opportunities for us to grow in our songwriting (at all levels) and to also share music!

There is no deadline (but try and get your songs up by mid February at latest so we can offer feedback and help you craft the greatest song ever!!

Happy Writing!


If you want to sbumit a song go ahead and let us know in THIS THREAD but link to a separate thread specifically FOR YOUR SONG.

Label it: TWCSW Feb Name of Song

TWCSW = The Worship Community Songwriters

That way we can keep track of individual songs, and those who have committed to being a part of this assignment, can add feedback as well.

Join the TWC SONGWRITERS GROUP if you want to participate!

[pian0dude]

Now, if you had only picked Psalm 61.... I already have a tune called Lead Me To The Rock ;-)

I guess I'll have to seek the Lord on this one and write a whole new one. Great challenge and great idea.

It'll be cool to see/hear everyone's creations.

[twc_admin]

Awesome, awesome idea, Russ!

[leegunter]

I'm in. 31, eh? Let's go have a looksy....

[mandythompson]

LOVING this idea! Thanks Russ.

[Wannabe a Worshiper]

Interesting choice of a Psalm for a challenge. This is a very "me" centered psalm, and not heavy on worship. Which means we will have to dig deep, study, meditate and pray in order to hear what God wants us to write.

I hope I'm up to the challenge.

[russhutto]

Interesting choice of a Psalm for a challenge. This is a very "me" centered psalm, and not heavy on worship. Which means we will have to dig deep, study, meditate and pray in order to hear what God wants us to write.

I hope I'm up to the challenge.

I believe You are my friend! The last third of this Psalm is very God-centered. That's probably where I'll be focusing my efforts to start with.

[webebo]

I'm in. I look forward to this challenge. Just read 31 and there is a lot of good stuff in there, will be difficult to narrow down for lyrics.

[pian0dude]

So Psalm 31 seems to be a story of David experiencing illness inducing stress. He cries out to God and asks God for help. David kept his trust in God strong regardless of what he was experiencing. God helped David.

So I think a good focus could be that regardless of what we go through as followers of Him, He is our help and is there to lead and guide us through it. We just need to remember to place our trust in Him.

I love the wording "let Your face shine on your servant". I take that to mean showing kindness toward.

[WorshipVanguard]

Russ, this is awesome! I'd love to participate if I may. I've been wanting to sharpen my songwriting skills for several years now, and this is a great place for honest and constructive feedback. Since I am such a novice, I'd like some feedback on what I have so far.

As I was reading 31, I sought the Lord for verses to jump out at me. There were several. I even found some commentary that made the verses sink in more deeply. This may have been a focus in other worship songs, but the first verse to jump out is verse 5, the verse Jesus spoke on the cross. Other verses to stand out were the ones that mentioned hands or arms. From there, this is what I wrote. I'm already aware of the redundancy, and lack of rhyme. This simply shows the direction I'm heading with the song. Help?

The hands that fed the hungry fed me
The hands that healed the sick healed me
The hands that made the lame walk strengthened me
The hands that made the blind see enlightened me
The hands that made the mute speak inspired me
The hands that were pierced saved me

You are my rock, and my fortress
For your name’s sake, guide me
I commit my ways into your hands
You are my God, and my salvation
For my protection, hide me
I commit my spirit into your hands

The hands that crafted carpentry crafted me
The hands that raised the dead redeemed me
The hands that turned tables accepted me
The hands that broke bread blessed me
The hands that held children held me
The hands that were pierced saved me