The Psalms Project:
Singing the Psalms Together
Listen to the Studio Album
released April 17, 2026
Call-and-response singing of the Psalms is an ancient practice which has been updated in this collection of songs to marry the unaltered words of the Psalms to a classic American pop vocabulary. Folk, rock, blues and soul -- even neo-psychadelia -- are combined in fresh ways to bring the message of the Psalms to life for listeners of all faiths and none.
In a live setting, the refrain is sung by the cantor, then repeated by the audience, with verses sung by the cantor. The unique settings for each Psalm make them memorable and help them resonate emotionally with the listener.
This collection was recorded live in studio on vintage, 100% real equipment using real instruments and human beings!
This recording was made possible through a Vital Worship, Vital Preaching Grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Grand Rapids, Michigan, with funds provided by Lilly Endowment, Inc.
CREDITS:
Musical Settings, Acoustic Guitar, Random Hand Gestures & Cantoring: Dave Grecu
Lyrics: 1979 Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church
(Public Domain)
Produced & Mixed by Alex Strahle
Tom Strahle: Electric Guitars
Alex Strahle: Electric Guitars
Baltazar Montoya: Bass Guitars
Jeff Hooker: Drums & Percussion
Ed Whitting: Hammond Organ
Beth Meres Grecu: Harmony Vocals
Jonathan Byram: Harmony Vocals
Art by Sarah Perry @pearandink
Recorded Live @ 64 Sound, Highland Park, February 9 & 10 2026
Recording Engineer: Ollie Brown
all rights reserved
The Project
The Psalms are the prayer book and the song book of the Bible. They encompass the full range of human emotion and all of the language of relationship, to God and to others. “I love you.” “ I’m sorry.” “Why is this happening?” “Help me!” “Thank you.”
Many people use the Psalms in their personal prayer. Some congregations use the Psalms each week in corporate worship. At St. Luke’s we sing them. We set these ancient prayers to modern music and sing them responsively with a cantor in our communal worship services. Dave, the worship director at St. Luke’s, has been composing these modern musical settings for responsorial congregational Psalm-singing for many years, and now we are excited to share them with others.
This year-long project is centered on making some of these modern musical Psalm settings available in recorded form, as well as gathering people for live events to experience singing these Psalms together. We hope you will join us!
Upcoming Events
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Awake, My Soul: Singing the Psalms Together
Praise & Thanksgiving
Saturday, May 9, 2026, 7:00-8:30PM
A time of singing the Psalms together, focusing on Psalms of praise & thanksgiving. Social time & refreshments following.
at
Street parking available, as well as small number of spaces behind the church.
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Songwriting Workshop: Composing Musical Psalm Settings
Saturday, June 6 1:30 - 3:30 PM
An interactive session for musicians who are interested in composing original musical settings for singing the Psalms.
at
Street parking available, as well as small number of spaces behind the church.
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Awake, My Soul: Singing the Psalms Together
Wisdom & Trust
Saturday, September 26, 2026, 7:00-8:30PM
A time of singing the Psalms together, focusing on Psalms of wisdom & trust. Social time & refreshments following.
at
Street parking available, as well as small number of spaces behind the church.
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Psalms Festival
Saturday, November 14, 2026
information coming soon…
Watch Psalms Project Videos
Singing the Psalms at St. Luke’s - an Invitation
Promo for March 14th Psalm Night
Recorded Livestream of March 14th Psalm Night